Hamas says Gaza truce deal ‘close’, raising hopes for hostages
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to a statement published on Telegram, stated on Tuesday that his militant organization was approaching a ceasefire with Israel.
“We are close to reaching a deal on a truce,” Haniyeh said, according to the post.
A deal has been being negotiated to enable the release of approximately 240 hostages, the majority of whom are Israeli, who were captured on October 7 during the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.
The majority of the approximately 1,200 casualties inflicted by Hamas militants during their cross-border assault were civilians.
In response to the assault, Israel initiated an all-out aerial bombardment and ground offensive, pledging to eradicate Hamas and ensure the liberation of the hostages.
As per the Hamas government in Gaza, over 13,300 individuals have been killed in the conflict, with thousands of them being minors.
Protracted negotiations have been initiated under the mediation of Qatar, the location of Hamas’ political office and Haniyeh’s headquarters.
The prime minister of Qatar stated on Sunday that “minor” practical concerns remained in the way of an agreement to release some of the hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden expressed optimism on Monday that an agreement to release the hostages was imminent.
“I believe so,” Biden said when asked whether a hostage deal was near.
Biden subsequently crossed his fingers as an expression of good fortune.
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According to two sources with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke with AFP, a provisional agreement embraces an armistice on the ground and restricts Israeli air operations over southern Gaza for five days.
Between fifty and one hundred captives held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two distinct Palestinian militant organizations, would be exchanged.
Captives of other nationalities and Israeli civilians would be included, but no military personnel.
Approximately 300 Palestinians, including children and women, would be released from Israeli prisons under the terms of the proposed agreement.
The White House stated that the negotiations had reached the “endgame” stage, but declined to provide additional information because doing so could compromise the likelihood of a successful resolution.
Separately, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced on Monday that its president had met with Hamas’ Haniyeh in Qatar “to advance humanitarian issues related to the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza” during their visit.
The Geneva-based organization maintained its “urgent appeal for the protection of all conflict victims and the amelioration of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip” in a statement.
Additionally, it stated that it had “continuously demanded the prompt liberation of hostages.”
Hamas says Gaza truce deal ‘close’, raising hopes for hostages