Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 431?

Hamas's negotiating delegation claimed that the terror group is ready to implement a ceasefire agreement based on President Biden's original plan laid out in July but rejects any new conditions, according to their Telegram on Wednesday night.

Hamas said they were "ready immediately to implement the ceasefire agreement based on President Biden's previous announcement and Security Council Resolution No. 2735 and what was previously agreed upon, especially the agreements of July 2, without setting any new demands, and its rejection of any new conditions on this agreement by any party."

The delegation, headed by Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya, met with the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, and Mr. Minister Abbas Kamel, Head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman al-Thani, and the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamal, met with the Hamas negotiation team on Wednesday evening in Doha. The meeting was headed by the deputy head of the political bureau, Khalil al-Hiya.

The purpose of the meeting was to try to break the deadlock in talks about the hostage deal and the ceasefire in Gaza, according to three sources who commented on the meeting details.
 
The meeting was intended to try to get Hamas to give up its new demands regarding the release of additional Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israel, the sources said.

Senior American officials said that these new demands from Hamas are the main obstacle in the current negotiations.

A senior Israeli official said the negotiations are at a complete impasse and estimated that even the meeting in Doha would not lead to a breakthrough.

A pro-Palestinian protester holds up a portrait of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar outside of a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in New York City, U.S., August 14, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/DAVID 'DEE' DELGADO)

The US, Egypt, and Qatar are still working on a new and updated mediation proposal to present to Israel and Hamas.

During the last two weeks, according to senior American officials, the White House has become very skeptical about the possibility of reaching a deal in the immediate time frame due to the new demands of Hamas.

The White House is re-examining its strategy for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza, and President Biden's top aides are debating whether there is any point in presenting a new proposal, as Hamas and Israel have further hardened their positions in the negotiations.

Updated proposals

The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and the head of the CIA, Will Burns, said that the US may present a new and updated proposal in the coming days. Still, senior White House officials say such a move is not expected in the coming days.

Biden's advisers spoke with senior officials in Qatar and Egypt several times this week. They made it clear to them that Hamas's demand to release more prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons is excessive, according to senior American officials.

Senior Israeli and American officials say that Hamas is demanding the release of 100 more prisoners in addition to the 150 prisoners that the parties have already agreed on. American officials say that this new demand is the reason for the stagnation in the talks.

The sources added that the US asked Egypt and Qatar to increase the pressure on Hamas to withdraw from its new demands.
 
White House spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that the US, Egypt, and Qatar were still trying to reach a proposal that both Israel and Hamas could agree on.

"What is not clear to us is whether we will succeed in reaching this and whether Hamas will agree to come to the negotiating table honestly and sign something," said Kirby.
 

The IDF carried out aerial strikes during a counter-terrorism operation in the Tulkarm area of the West Bank, the IDF announced on Wednesday evening.

Palestinian reports said the strike hit a vehicle, killing three people.

This is a developing story.

Air Force Major General Tomer Bar and Yaron Finkelman of the Southern Command arrived at the site of the helicopter crash in Rafah that led to the death of two reserve soldiers on Tuesday night, the IDF said on Wednesday.

"Last night, while performing a life-saving operation for a severely wounded man from the Gaza Strip, we lost two reservists, some of our best men, in the crash of an 'Owl' helicopter from Squadron 123 during the landing phase, in addition, 8 fighters were injured, some of them very seriously."

They added that it was an operational accident and that a commission of inquiry was appointed to investigate the details of the crash.

Hezbollah has continued its attacks on Israel this week. The Iranian-backed terrorist group knows that it must keep up the pressure on Israel. It knows this because Iran is closely monitoring the Gaza front and other fronts. Hezbollah has been attacking Israel since October 2023, helping Hamas in its war on Israel.

The US is sanctioning three individuals, five companies and two vessels used to smuggle oil to generate funding for Hezbollah, the State Department announced on Wednesday as "part of the United States’ efforts to disrupt Hezbollah’s illicit revenue generation and isolate the terrorist group’s financial network."

A ramming attack occurred near the Givat Assaf Junction, located in the proximity of Beit El in the West Bank, the IDF said on Wednesday.

The IDF attacked an observation post of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the military stated on Wednesday. 

An anti-tank missile hit a structure in Kibbutz Dan area in northern Israel, injuring a reservist soldier on the emergency standby squad, the IDF reported on Wednesday.   

Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck terrorists operating in a command and control complex in a compound previously used as UNRWA's Al-Jaouni school in the Nuseirat area, central Gaza, the IDF reported on Wednesday.