Gershon Baskin
Click here to read the Original Article in Turkish | Historical correspondence between Hamas and IsraelIn my last article, international mediator Gershon Baskin, who devoted his life to Israeli-Palestinian peace and was one of the chief negotiators who contacted Hamas during the 5-year talks between Israel and Hamas for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalid, who was kidnapped in 2006, talked to Hamas before the hostage operation this time. I have included some of his correspondence with Gazi Hamad, spokesman and manager of Gazi Hamad, in this column.
Today, I continue where I left off with the correspondence, which will shed light on history in terms of understanding the mood of Hamas and where the war will evolve.
Saturday, October 14
Baskin: An agreement can be made now to exchange women veterans, children, the elderly and the sick, and all women and children in Israeli prisons. There are 43 women and 190 underage youth in prison. I’m getting signs that a deal could be made if Hamas is willing.
Talk to Mohammed al Emadi (Qatar), let’s make an agreement for women, children, the elderly and the sick in exchange for your women and children and a humanitarian ceasefire so that people can access food and medicine.
According to Reuters, Hamas is currently negotiating to exchange Israeli women and children for 36 Palestinian women in Israeli prisons. The talks, mediated by Qatar and coordinated by the United States, are progressing positively. However, there is still no news about the possibility of an imminent result.
Do you support such a deal?
I hope you and your family are still alive. They killed Ali Kadi today. Kadi killed my wife’s cousin Sasoon Nouriel (one of Hamas’ commanders) in 2005.
Sunday, October 15
Baskin: Is your side ready to exchange hostages and prisoners? Women, children, elderly against women and children and a 48-hour ceasefire?
If you want an agreement to release Palestinian women and children prisoners, I can do that, I am in contact with the decision makers on this. It depends on your side. It may also include a short ceasefire. In the hands of Hamas, this could be done before a ground operation.
Is there a sign from your side?
Monday, October 16
Baskin: Haniye is in Tehran. The Iranians now say Hamas will release all hostages in exchange for a full ceasefire. I think this will freeze the job. But the Qataris are holding talks. They’re talking to you and the Americans. Americans are talking to Israelis. Everything is very complicated. Qataris should talk directly to Israel. Tell them. I’ll put them in touch with Eizencott or Gal Hirsch directly. Let’s move faster.
Gazi, let’s press the little deal. Do the right thing with the hostages. I will push for a ceasefire.
Tuesday, October 17
Baskin: Good morning, do you want a deal? Are you mad at me for speaking to you honestly and directly? Is that why you don’t talk anymore?
Wednesday, October 18
Baskin: Hospital attack in Gaza is a war crime. Whoever did it, Palestinians or Jihad or anyone else, as Israel says, must confess their guilt. If it’s intentional, it’s even scarier.
Do you have multiple channels to reach decision makers in Israel? I suggest you use the channel that worked before.
Saturday, October 21
Hamad: Yesterday your army killed 352 innocents! Is this your good answer!!
Baskin: This is a war, you know it. What are the next steps? Ceasefire and civilian hostages. We need to stop these deaths. Yesterday someone wrote: It is very interesting that everything in Gaza is finished except rockets. Gazi, how do we move forward?
Hamad: No, the heavy attacks on Gaza overshadow all efforts to deal with the hostages.
Baskin: Are you still in favor of releasing civilians in exchange for a ceasefire?
Hamad: I think so. If I receive a formal offer from you, I will forward it to the leadership.
Baskin: I am delivering this message.
(After a while, Hamas’s military wing announced on Telegram that they would release 2 Israeli American women.)
Baskin: What is the story of these two women? The Israeli side says, “Give me Hamas’s offer and I will convey it to the decision makers.”
Hamad: Will I get an answer?
Baskin: Yes, if you send me a formal offer. I’ll send it to them and we’ll move forward from there. You can send it in Arabic.
Hamad: Do you think they are really serious? Civilians in exchange for a final ceasefire?
Baskin: I think they will approach the offer very seriously. This doesn’t mean they will get along. Send me something official and showing the leadership’s position.
Hamad: Do you think we can take the offer to the Qataris first? What if they convey it to you?
Baskin: My understanding is that the Qataris are not talking directly to Israel. They give it to the Americans, it comes from there. Unless something has changed in the last few days…
Hamad: If your side is serious, I will tell our people to approach the issue seriously. I don’t want to waste time.
Baskin: Israel wants the hostages back. We are talking about human life. There’s no time to waste.
Hamad: Do you have good relationships with decision makers?
Baskin: Yes, I’m taking messages directly to the war cabinet. Israel wants all civilians, without exception. Time is running out. There will be a different situation after the land operation. Troops are ready to enter. They are waiting for the next order. The firepower will be far greater than anything Hamas has ever seen. Time is running out to make a deal, Gazi. Much more death and destruction is on the way. Let’s try to stop this. We want civilians to be released.
Hamad: Air strikes are already deadly and powerful enough, what more can tanks do? Gershon, rest assured, we are not afraid. We need to be sure that your side will release civilians in exchange for a full ceasefire.
Baskin: Gazi, my suggestion is that we push to make this happen. Negotiations are always complicated and difficult. Nobody wants to take the first step. I am not an official. Use me. We have nothing to lose by trying.
Saturday, October 21
Baskin: Come to me with a formal proposal and let’s get it printed.
Sunday, October 22
Baskin: Is there a proposal that leadership has approved that you can make to me?
Hamad: I’m still waiting.
Baskin: Ok, I’m always online.
Hamad: I talked to Haniye now. He will get back to me, he is very serious about the offer.
We will contact Gaza to evaluate the issue.
Baskin: Good
Still nothing? More people die in Gaza every hour. What are our chances of doing something?
Hamad: I’m trying to get an answer.
Baskin: Good. I hope we get it soon. If your side makes an offer to the Qataris and they forward this offer to the Americans to give to Israel, I need to know who in Israel made this offer so that I can put pressure on the decision makers.
Still no news from your side? Did they give the offer to Qatar?
Come on Gazi, let’s do this… What is preventing the agreement? Gazi?
Hamad: Gershon, I’m as excited as you to get a response from our side.
Monday, October 23
Baskin: Good morning, any updates?
Hamad: Good morning, I hope to get an answer today.
(On the same day, he told me on the phone that they had conveyed the offer to the Qataris. I told them that I would talk to the Israeli side about what kind of message they received and that the offer sent by Qatar was approved by the Hamas administration.)
Baskin: My veteran message went to the war cabinet.
Hamad: Are you expecting anything?
Baskin: Yes. I and others are pushing for an agreement. Have you heard anything from your side?
Hamad: Is this true? i24News Exclusive: Red Cross goes to meet 50 hostages with dual citizenship.
Baskin: I don’t know. My Egyptian intelligence friend in Tel Aviv called me at midnight last night and asked for the phone number of the President of the Red Cross in Tel Aviv. I gave it to him. You’re the one who knows this, not me. I don’t think it’s true, but we’ll see.
Al Arabiya said on Monday that the release of the hostages, who have different nationalities, could be within hours. Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told Sky News the hostages could be released if Israel reduces airstrikes in Gaza.
What will happen to the rest of the civilians?
What about the other 220 hostages?
The Wall Street Journal wrote that Hamas requested fuel and a ceasefire. What information do you have?
Apparently the Egyptians are in contact with the Al Qassam Brigades. Qataris are talking to politicians in Gaza and Doha, correct?
Tuesday, October 24
Baskin: Good morning. The Egyptians made the agreement yesterday. Who’s on? Qatar or Egypt? Who is Qassam talking to? Was it the fuel issue that made the agreement difficult? Or something else?
Can you speak? Time is running out to make a possible deal. What are we doing?
Hamad: Gershon, I sent you what you asked for and you did nothing. The ball is in your court.
Baskin: I quoted Israeli veterans as saying that there were other things in the offer from Qatar. It’s not just a ceasefire. If they give up other demands, an agreement can be reached.
I think your political side is in disarray. Qassam has taken control and they decide.
I forwarded the offer. They received the offer from Qatar and what you told me and what came from Qatar were not the same.
I want us to reach an agreement to bring back our people and stop the attacks in Gaza. We must work together.
Don’t give up trying.
If the issue that is blocking the work is fuel, does Hamas accept that fuel trucks entering Gaza go directly to hospitals under the supervision of Qatar, Egypt and the Red Cross? Israel will not bomb the trucks unless they are seized by Hamas. What do you say? If you want fuel for hospitals, we can find a solution.
Hamad: Yes, we only need fuel for hospitals. We are ready to give all guarantees.
Baskin: …The message I got from Israel is a ceasefire for the hostages. Hamas has fuel, you should give it to hospitals. You want a ceasefire, this is the deal.
Hamad: Gershon, you are playing with me! I spoke to you honestly and said there was no problem on our side, but you did not bring an answer from your side. I need decisions, not messages.
Baskin: I’m pushing for a formula to solve the fuel problem. I take this job very seriously, I want to save lives.
Hamad: Yes, we urgently need fuel to save lives.
Baskin: I know that….
Wednesday, October 25
Baskin: What’s stopping Hamas from reaching an agreement? I need to know this today. The clock is ticking. Let’s solve this today.
My offer is below:
1) Hamas and Israel should inform Qatar and Egypt that they will bilaterally release civilians and stop attacks
2) The International Red Cross and Egypt will be on hand to welcome those who will be released
3) Israel will agree to stop the attacks 6 hours before the exchange, and Hamas will stop both the attacks and its attempts to infiltrate Israel.
4) The UN will ensure that fuel is delivered directly to hospitals and will ensure that fuel in hospitals will not fall into the hands of Hamas.
Hamad: Whose offer is this?
Baskin: It’s me. If your side accepts it, I will send it to our decision makers…
Maybe you are not aware of the latest developments? How long have you been in Beirut? I thought you were in Gaza this whole time. Were you in Beirut for all these 3 months?
Can you confirm?
Is there any progress with Qatar? What’s stopping the deal?
Attacks in Gaza are accelerating. A ceasefire must be immediate. What will happen to the hostages?
Hamad: You just give dry promises, no action. I don’t want to waste my time.
Baskin: I asked you what’s stopping this deal. If the problem is on the Israeli side, we can suppress it. Your people are dying, I want to stop it. Arouri says there is no hostage exchange without a prisoner exchange. This means a change of position. Who’s playing games? You or us?
Thursday, October 26
Baskin: Will there be a ceasefire today?
Gazi, take me seriously. I can help. If I know where the deal is stuck, I’ll try to resolve it.
My opinion is that Al Qassam has taken control and you in Beirut and Doha are just watching.
I was in Europe when the Hamas attack happened. Flights were canceled but I found a way to return home. It is unthinkable not to be at home while I am at war. Why aren’t you with your own people?
This was the last message Hamad opened. Communication was then lost. On November 1, he gave an interview to Lebanese Television and spoke in full defense of Hamas’ attack. He added that they will carry out many more attacks until they destroy Israel.
Gershon Baskin broke off contact with Hamas executive and spokesman Gazi Hamad, with whom he had been in contact for 17 years, after Hamad’s harsh interview on Lebanese television.
Baskin said the man he had known for 17 years was no longer the same person as he had abandoned his own people in Gaza and turned into someone.
In my opinion, these correspondences are very important historical documents to understand the dynamics of the war in Gaza, which has been going on since October 7, to evaluate the process regarding the hostages and to make future projections.
At the same time, I believe that correspondence is an important source in terms of seeing the mediation dynamics.
Originally Published in Turkish by Habertürk at https://www.haberturk.com/ozel-icerikler/nagehan-alci/3641575-hamas-ve-israil-arasinda-tarihi-yazismalar
