The American New York Times newspaper quoted American officials yesterday evening, Saturday, that negotiators are close to reaching an agreement in which Israel suspends its war on the Gaza Strip for two months in exchange for the release of more than 100 prisoners held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), an agreement that could be concluded within the next two weeks.

The officials told the newspaper that the negotiators have developed a draft of the agreement that combines the proposals of Hamas and Israel that were presented in the last ten days, and talks about it are being held in Paris on Sunday between the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, with officials from Qatar, Egypt and Israel.

While there are still important differences to be resolved, negotiators are cautiously optimistic that a final agreement is within reach, according to US officials who insisted on remaining anonymous.

Paris and Washington discussions

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani is scheduled to head to the French capital, Paris, where he will join talks with the participation of the United States, Egypt and Israel to try to reach an agreement on the release of detainees in the Gaza Strip.

The Qatari official is expected to then head to Washington as part of his tour to discuss a new prisoner exchange agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza. According to the American newspaper Al-Monitor, the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will meet with senior members of the US administration and senior legislators.

US President Joe Biden spoke by phone separately on Friday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, in an attempt to narrow the remaining differences.

If Burns makes sufficient progress in the Paris talks, Biden may send his Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk, who has just returned to Washington, to the region to help finalize the agreement.

In a statement yesterday, Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed his commitment to ensuring the release of detainees who were not released as part of a limited agreement last November. He said, "As of today, we have returned 110 of our hostages and we are committed to returning them all... We are dealing with this, and we are doing so around the clock."

Hamas conditions

The Israeli Channel 12 previously reported Hamas’ conditions for a new prisoner exchange deal, which are: 100 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli prisoner, a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, a truce of between 10-14 days before the release of any Israeli prisoner, and a truce for two months. Between each stage of the deal.

On October 7, the Palestinian resistance, led by Hamas, launched an attack on Israeli military points and settlements around the Gaza Strip, during which about 1,200 Israelis were killed, about 5,431 were wounded, and at least 239 were captured, of whom Israel recovered about 105 in an exchange deal and a temporary truce with the Hamas movement. It lasted 7 days and ended in early December 2023.

Since that day, the Israeli occupation army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which left more than 26,000 martyrs, most of them women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in the Strip. The war also caused massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the United Nations.