Mediators from the US and Arab countries made progress on Monday, the 13th, towards a ceasefire that would lead to the release of hostages held in Gaza. American officials say the deal could close as soon as this week. According to CNN, Hamas would release 33 Israelis in the first phase of the truce.
The agreement to release the hostages failed numerous times throughout the war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas invaded Israel and killed 1,200 people. Now negotiations appear to have progressed, with Qatar’s emir meeting with Brett McGurk and Steve Witkoff, special envoys for the Middle East for US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump. After the meeting, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the agreement is “close and could be closed” this week.
Qatar would be pressuring Hamas to accept the deal, while McGurk and Witkoff would be pressuring the Israelis. An Egyptian official confirmed the advance and said the truce would be concluded within days. Both sides are seeking a deal before Trump’s inauguration on the 20th.
Details
Asked about the negotiations at a press conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed optimism. “Progress has been made and I hope that things will happen soon,” he said.
A Hamas official said some issues still needed to be resolved, including Israel’s commitment to definitively end the war, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas.
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A source interviewed by CNN indicated that there is also disagreement over the buffer zone proposed by Israel within Gaza, which would be implemented along the eastern and northern border of the enclave. Hamas proposes that it return to the size before the 2023 attacks, with a range of up to 500 meters, while the Israelis demand more than 2,000 meters. Palestinians claim that if the buffer zone is too large, many displaced people will not return to their homes.
Phases
The US, Egypt and Qatar spent more than a year trying to broker a deal to end the war and secure the release of the hostages. But negotiations always stalled. Hamas has said it will not release anyone until the end of the war, while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the campaign until “total victory” over Hamas.
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Now, the discussion is about a phased ceasefire, according to diplomats involved in the negotiation. Netanyahu has signaled he is committed only to the first phase, when Hamas would release 33 hostages in exchange for a halt to the fighting.
The possibility of a lasting ceasefire and other issues would be negotiated after the start of the first phase. Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal and an end to the war, and hopes that the first phase will achieve this goal.
The deal, however, could weaken Netanyahu’s coalition, which includes far-right parties that have threatened to leave the government if he makes too many concessions. The opposition promised to give the prime minister the support he needs to approve a truce for the release of the hostages.
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Israeli PM to meet relatives of Hamas hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet with the families of hostages in Gaza today, a meeting that has increased speculation that an agreement is close, according to Israel’s Channel 12.
The Israeli government, however, rejected the possibility of returning the body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as part of a hostage agreement. “That’s not going to happen. Period,” an official told the Times of Israel newspaper. Earlier, Saudi channel Al-Hadath suggested that Hamas would demand Sinwar’s body to close a deal. (WITH INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES)
