After months of stalemate, there are new signs that Israel and Hamas may be moving closer to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
A senior Palestinian official involved in indirect negotiations told the BBC that negotiations were at a “decisive and final stage”.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz also said that a deal is closer than ever.
In recent weeks, the United States, Qatar and Egypt have resumed mediation efforts, with both sides reporting an increased willingness to reach a deal in the 14-month war.
The Israeli delegation, which is said to be at a “working level”, is currently in Doha, the capital of Qatar, amid a flurry of diplomatic back and forth in the region.
Palestinian officials will free civilians and female soldiers held hostage in Gaza in the first 45 days, as Israeli forces withdraw from the city center, coastal roads and strategic areas along the border with Egypt. He outlined a three-stage plan. .
Mechanisms will be put in place for displaced Gazans to return to the northern part of the territory, officials said.
The second stage would free the remaining hostages, and the third stage would see the troops withdraw before the war ends.
Of the 96 hostages still being held in Gaza, Israel estimates that 62 are still alive.
The plan appears to be based on an agreement outlined by US President Joe Biden on May 31, and reports have emphasized that there are important details to be worked out.
A series of talks in mid-October failed to reach an agreement, with Hamas rejecting proposals for a short-term ceasefire.
The spokesperson said that Katz told members of the Israeli Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, referring to the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners in Israel in November, saying, “Since the last agreement, we have never seen such an increase in hostages.” “We have never come close to an agreement.” 2023.
He has since written to X: “My position on Gaza is clear. After we defeat Hamas’ military and government power in Gaza, Israel will have full freedom of action and security control over Gaza.” compared with the situation in the West Bank. .
“We will not tolerate any terrorist activities against the Israeli community and Israeli people in the Gaza Strip. We will not allow a return to the pre-October 7 reality.”
Such statements are likely to be viewed as problematic by those involved in negotiations who are trying to bridge the gap with Hamas. But in Israel, these deals are seen as essential to guarantee the support of far-right Israeli ministers, who have previously warned not to agree to what they describe as “reckless” deals in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, carried out an unprecedented cross-border attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Approximately 1,200 people were killed and 253 were abducted.
More than 100 hostages were freed through negotiations and rescue operations by the Israeli military.
On December 7, Palestinian sources revealed that Israel suspended air movement and drone surveillance over the territory for six hours at the request of a mediator, allowing Hamas to gather information on the hostages.
Later, the pro-Qatar newspaper al-Arabi al-Jadeed reported that Hamas had given Egyptian intelligence officials a list of sick and elderly Israeli hostages and hostages with American citizenship. The newspaper said there were also the names of Palestinian prisoners the group had requested as part of the agreement.
At the start of the Gaza war, Israel promised to destroy Hamas’s governance and military capabilities. More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to statistics from the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which is considered credible by the United Nations and others.
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced, there has been widespread destruction, and there is now widespread hunger amid ongoing struggles to obtain aid for those in need.
Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election in November gave a new boost to diplomatic efforts.
At a press conference on Monday, he again warned that a cease-fire agreement must be reached before taking office, saying otherwise “I’m not happy about it.”
