‘Israeli Position Has Really Shifted’: CNN’s Jeremy Diamond On Latest Ceasefire Negotiations and Possibility of Rafah Assault

CNN’s Jeremy Diamond broke down the details of the latest ceasefire negotiations being brokered between Israel and Hamas on Monday.

“Also happening right now, the secretary of state is in Saudi Arabia with a potential ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel now on the table this morning, Antony Blinken said Israel has presented the militant group and I’m quoting him now with an extraordinarily generous proposal, adding that Hamas is the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire. CNN’s Jeremy Diamond is joining us live from Jerusalem right now. So what are the details of this latest proposal, Jeremy?” began Wolf Blitzer.

“Well, Wolf, the next few days are going to be really critical to determining whether or not a deal is even possible, or whether instead, the Israeli military will move forward with a major ground offensive into the Gaza southernmost city of Rafah,’ Diamon began, adding:

And as it stands, there is a new Egyptian framework on the table that has been crafted in cooperation with Israeli officials, with significant input from the Israelis, although they haven’t agreed to all of the terms. But here are the details. 20 to 33 Israeli hostages would be released over the course of several weeks in exchange for Palestinian prisoners as part of a first phase of this agreement.

But there is also a second phase here that we’re talking about, which is a one year restoration of sustainable, calm, effectively diplomatic speak for some kind of a permanent ceasefire that would see Israeli troops withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and that would also see the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, including the bodies of those hostages who are now dead. Now, Hamas officials are currently in Cairo discussing this proposal. The proposal is also in the hands of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s leader in the Gaza Strip, and his response is expected over the next day or the next several days.

Israeli officials are working-level delegation expected to travel to Cairo tomorrow to pursue these negotiations. There’s no question that the Israeli position has really shifted significantly over the course of the last month. They have been willing to accept now fewer hostages for that first phase of the agreement. They’re also in this framework allowing for the unrestricted access of Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, something that the Israelis had refused to do so far.

And that has been a major sticking point for Hamas. But the question now is, will it all be enough for Hamas to be able to move forward, or will we instead see Israeli troops beginning to move into Rafah in the coming weeks?

Watch the clip above via CNN.