Israel ‘offers Hamas millions of dollars’ for each of the remaining October 7 hostages, with their captors allowed to leave Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly offering Hamas “millions of dollars” for each remaining hostage kidnapped by the terrorist group during the October 7 attacks.

The country’s military has also pledged to provide safe passage out of Gaza for the kidnappers.

More than 60 hostages are believed to be alive and the bodies of another 35 are in the hands of Hamas.

Those yet to return home include dual British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari, 28, who was forcibly taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel.

The hostage takers and their families would be given immunity from capture or punishment, with the government paying out millions for the return of their citizens after nearly 400 days since they were abducted, according to an Israeli official. The Telegraph reports.

Hundreds took to the streets Tuesday evening to demand the return of the hostages during a march through Tel Aviv

The mother of a hostage at the march said, “Gallant’s resignation sends a clear message: there is no one left to prevent the hostage deal from being defeated; It’s time to take to the streets

Netanyahu’s announcement of a deal to pay Hamas “millions of dollars” for the return of each hostage came as he unveiled the departure of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The initiative’s announcement came just as news broke Tuesday evening that Netanyahu has fired his defense minister over a breach of trust during the Gaza war against Hamas.

‘That confidence has eroded in recent months. In light of this, today I have decided to end the term of the Minister of Defense,” the Prime Minister said in a statement from his office.

Yoav Gallant, who only returned to the post in April after being fired last March, will be replaced by Secretary of State Israel Katz, the agency said.

Hundreds took to the streets to demand the hostages’ return during a march through Tel Aviv as news of the decision broke, Haaretz reports.

The mother of a hostage said: “Gallant’s resignation sends a clear message: there is no one left to prevent the hostage deal from being defeated; it’s time to take to the streets.’

Netanyahu had discussed a “millions of dollars” deal for each hostage during a security cabinet meeting on Sunday, Israeli broadcaster Keshet 12 revealed.

There has been no response yet from Hamas to the initiative, which comes just hours after the group rejected the latest ceasefire proposal.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that his country had proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages with some Palestinian prisoners.

The plan aimed to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a halt to fighting for less than a month, in the hope that this would lead to a more permanent ceasefire.

More than 60 hostages are believed to be alive and the bodies of another 35 are in the hands of Hamas. Those yet to return home include British and Israeli national Emily Damari, 28, who was forcibly taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023.

Diplomats and representatives from the United States, Qatar and Egypt have led multiple negotiations to end the war, which broke out after Hamas terrorists stormed into southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing 1,200 people and more than 250 people were taken hostage. to Israeli official figures.

Meanwhile, the death toll from Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza is approaching 43,000, Gaza health officials say, as the densely populated enclave lies in ruins.

After receiving news on Monday that the ceasefire proposal had been rejected, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that Hamas had “once again refused to release even a limited number of hostages in order to to secure a ceasefire and aid for the people of Gaza. ‘

Speaking to AFP, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu, a Hamas official, said that a “temporary pause in the war, to resume aggression later, is something on which we have already stated our position.” Hamas supports a permanent end to the war, not a temporary one.”

Hamas has repeatedly said it will only release the hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas says these demands have not changed after last month’s assassination its top leader Yahya Sinwarwhile the United States, Egypt and Qatar continue their efforts to restart negotiations.

An Israeli official, meanwhile, predicted “renewed momentum” to figure out a deal that will secure the hostages after the US elections, Ynet reports.