The US hostage envoy Adam Boehler has said that Hamas has suggested an exchange of prisoners and offered to ‚lay down all weapons‘ during a five to ten year truce, Israel‘s Channel 11 is reporting.
Boehler said that an „optimistic“ scenario would see Israeli captives released within „weeks“.
Boehler said he believed something could be achieved on the Israeli captives within weeks, but did not elaborate. He said he believes that a deal can be made in which all of the captives can get out.
Boehler said he understood the consternation and concern expressed by Israeli official Ron Dermer about his direct contact with Hamas, but emphasized he had a clear goal in his talks.
„We‘re the United States. We‘re not an agent of Israel,“ Boehler said. „We have specific interests at play, and we did communicate back and forth.
„What I wanted to do is jump start some negotiations that were in a very fragile place. And I wanted to say to Hamas, what is the end game that you want here?“