Witkoff to Enter Talks to Break Impasses on 'Details'

Oct. 7—On the second anniversary of the Hamas attack and massacre of more than 1,200 mostly innocent Israeli and other civilians, including women and children, that served as the pretext for the Butcher of Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu to unleash a genocidal rampage that has already likely slaughtered more than four score thousand Palestinians, sources close to the White House say that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by Presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, will enter mediated talks taking place outside Cairo between Israel and Hamas, intended to implement the first phase of the Trump Peace Plan, which would release all 48 remaining hostages—22 living, and the remains of 26 dead—and end the fighting.

President Trump was briefed this morning on progress in the talks, which began yesterday, by Witkoff and said that he was pleased with what he heard. Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera described the talks as "positive," as mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey worked on a framework for a hostages-prisoners exchange and further sessions.

But other sources say that there are a number of issues of disagreement, some that can easily be resolved, and others that might derail the whole process.

Instability on the Ground and Hostage Logistics

For one thing, the situation on the ground in Gaza is not stable, as Israel continues to bombard the strip, killing Palestinians, despite being ordered by Trump to halt its attacks. If the attacks don't stop, there can be no efforts to put the hostages in places where they can be released. "Bibi is being his normal asshole self," said a source. "Trump needs to just tell him to stop this." Hamas is also acting foolish", said the source. "Someone fired a rocket at Israel from Gaza to no real effect, just to show that they could. This needs to be cleaned up and it will."

But there are other items of contention that need to be resolved to implement the first phase. Sources say that Hamas wants at least some control of who Israel releases in the prisoner/detainee exchange for the hostages. Israel says they will have veto power. For example, there is a push to finally release Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who has been held in prison for more than a decade, and whom Israel refused to release before, and who could play an important role in a post-war Palestinian government.

Haaretz analyst Amir Tibon writes today: "Trump's plan contains only one clause with exact numbers and a definite timetable: the release of all Israeli hostages in return for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, among them 250 sentenced by Israel to life in prison. But even on this clause, there are still details waiting to be negotiated. For example, who will determine the identity of the 250 life prisoners set to be released – Israel or Hamas? Will prominent Palestinian leaders, such as Marwan Barghouti, be on the list? Will the released prisoners return to their homes in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, or be sent abroad? For now, there are no answers to any of these questions."

Hamas Bargaining and Map Disputes

But Hamas could be seeking other revisions in the Trump Plan, some of which will not be tolerated. For example, a senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the delegation has demanded that the IDF's staged withdrawal from Gaza proceed in parallel with hostage releases, and that the last hostages would be released only when the IDF withdraws fully, and sought international guarantees for "a complete cessation of the war and a full withdrawal."

Other sources say that this is merely a bargaining ploy to seek a revision in what was shown in the map presented to Trump by Israel this week that shows the first positions that the IDF will withdraw to, to trigger the hostage release. Hamas wants to go back not to IDF positions in July, but to March when the previous ceasefire was still in effect, before Israel broke it, refusing to go along with the second and third phases of the plan they agreed to in January.

Sources report that Witkoff will say that he accepts that adjustment, but that all the hostages must be released now, or by some short time from agreeing to the first phase, if the 72 hours is too short. Hamas, sources report, would accept this compromise, provided that the United States and President Trump offer assurances that Israel will fully withdraw from Gaza and that Netanyahu can't break this deal at his will and restart the war.

These sources say that the other details about where the released prisoners and detainees will go can be handled in implementation discussions.

Disarmament Debate and Security Force Questions

The sources say that the Israelis are insisting on clarification about what Hamas means by saying that it is willing to disarm. Hamas, through leaks of its position, say that it will turn over all offensive weapons, such as rockets, drones, artillery, and related munitions, RPG launchers, mines and other items in its stockpiles, but it wants to keep what it called small arms so that its people might defend themselves from gangs in Gaza. Bibi has called for total disarmament, but sources say Witkoff believes that this is impossible as some fighters will hide their weapons, as Hamas says especially its young recruits are likely to do. 

But there may be a compromise to be found there that would also include at least some assault rifles turned over, as well. The other issue is who they will turn the weapons over to—Bibi would like it to be the Israelis, but that will never happen, because it is the surrender that Hamas would never agree to. Sources report that it will either be to the International Security Force (ISF) or to Egypt.

Hamas also wants clarification from the mediators about the composition of the ISF, what its mission is and how long it would operate in Gaza, and when it would transition to a Palestinian force. That will be discussed, as will to who Hamas turns over control of Gaza—they want it to be to a transition Palestinian government of "experts" as the plan envisions, but as one source stated, "They have agreed to give up control, and that is important."

Public Statements, Pressure, and the Push for a Deal

As the negotiations were taking place, Hamas today, on the second anniversary of the attack, issued a defiantly provocative statement praising the assault as "a glorious day" and "a major turning point," condemned international "silence," criticized several Arab states for "unprecedented abandonment" and saluted leaders killed by Israel, including the architect of the attack, the late Yahya Sinwar, the co-evil twin of Bibi, who once proudly proclaimed that he did not care if his tactics and policies caused the death of one million or more Palestinian martyrs.

Witkoff and others chose to ignore such statements and focus on making a deal. Meanwhile, the freed hostages and their families and the families of those still held by Hamas have made it clear that they put all their faith in Trump to bring the hostages home and end the war, as do millions of other Israelis and people around the world.

Freed hostages and relatives of those still held in Gaza gathered at the Sukkah of Hope in Washington with senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, to urge urgency on a deal.

Meanwhile, Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan, who has praised the resolve of Trump, and laid the blame for the deaths of hostages and innocent Gazans alike with Netanyahu, writing in Haaretz today, says "While the government refused to hear my cry and closed its doors to me, ordinary Israelis heard. They embraced me. They saw my pain…Both of us had our innocence snatched away on October 7. I would do anything for you, my Matan, but to my sorrow, I will never be able to restore the simple, innocent lives we once led. And that tears me apart. I have fought with all my might so that you would hear and see me fighting for you from afar. I couldn't bear the thought that you might wonder whether I had given up on you. A mother can never give up on her child. I will never give up on you.

The price we paid has been high," she said, referring to the violence directed against the hostage families by Netanyahu's police, under the direction of the Kahanist thug, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. "They incited against us, called us horrible names and attacked us in the streets. But I hugged your sisters and told them, 'Matan wouldn't have given up on us; we aren't giving up on him. We'll keep fighting, and we won't let anyone intimidate us.'"

Nobel Prize for Trump?

Yesterday, Hostages and Missing Families Forum sent a letter to the Nobel Peace Prize committee, supporting Trump's nomination for the prize. Trump responded today, writing a letter to the group which states: "My entire administration has been touched by the fact that, through the unimaginable pain and suffering of spending two years not knowing where your loved ones are, you have continued telling their stories and advocating on their behalf," adding "We pray that this conflict will be at an end in the coming days—or else." The winner will be announced Oct. 10.

Netanyahu misstated the number of hostages in Gaza in an interview with U.S. right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro, saying there were "40 … 46 actually," prompting the Hostages and Missing Families Forum to demand a correction and insist "all 48" must come home.

Sources close to the White House say that Trump has told Witkoff that he wants a deal by no later than the weekend which will bring the hostages home. To get that, the Special Envoy will have to split the agreement in parts, and move forward with the first phase, while keep negotiating its other points.