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PALESTINE

Fri 20 Dec 2024 9:21 am - Jerusalem Time

Hamas and Israel approaching deal

Reliable sources in Washington say Hamas and Israel appear closer than they have been in months to a ceasefire agreement that could end the 14-month war in Gaza and return dozens of people held hostage there.


But the two sides have come close before, only to have talks collapse over various disagreements. This round of negotiations also faces obstacles.


According to Egyptian, Palestinian, Israeli and American sources, the agreement will be implemented in stages, and includes a cessation of hostilities, an exchange of Israeli prisoners for Palestinian prisoners, and increased aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. The final stage includes the release of any remaining hostages, an end to the war and talks on reconstruction.


Although Israel and Hamas have expressed optimism that a deal is near, major sticking points remain over a prisoner-hostage exchange and an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, people involved in the talks say.


“They are working on the names of the hostages that will come out in the first phase — the names of the prisoners that will be released as part of the exchange, and then some specific details about the behavior of the Israeli forces during the ceasefire,” Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, said Wednesday.


During its October 7, 2023, attack on the Gaza envelope area by its fighters, Hamas and other groups took some 250 people hostage and brought them into Gaza. A previous truce in November 2023 released more than 100 hostages, while others were rescued or their remains recovered over the past year.


Israel says about 100 hostages remain in Gaza - at least a third of whom it believes were killed during the October 7 attack or died in captivity.


The warring sides are negotiating over which hostages will be included in the initial release, according to Egyptian and Hamas officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing ongoing negotiations. There have also been disagreements over how many hostages will be included, Israeli media reported.


The first batch is expected to consist mostly of women, the elderly and people with medical conditions.


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also facing mounting pressure from the hostages’ families to secure a deal that would free them all at once. They fear the deal could fall apart or that loved ones who are not freed immediately could die in captivity.


As part of the deal, Israel is expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including dozens convicted of deadly attacks.


Israel has a history of uneven prisoner releases, and hundreds were freed in the November 2023 deal. But officials who spoke to The Associated Press say the two sides still disagree on the exact number and names of prisoners to be freed. Hamas wants high-profile prisoners to be included.


Netanyahu’s ruling coalition includes hardliners who oppose such releases, some of whom have vowed to quit the government if too many concessions are made. They point to the release of prisoners in 2011, including former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 attacks who was killed by Israel in October, according to Israeli media.


Israeli media also reported that there were disagreements over whether the most dangerous prisoners to be released would be deported to third countries.


Palestinians return to their homes


The war has displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population, according to UN estimates, with the hard-hit northern enclave largely emptied of its pre-war population.


During the first phase of the deal, Israel is expected to withdraw its forces from Palestinian population centers and allow some displaced people to return to their homes. But officials say the extent of the withdrawal and the number of people allowed to return remain to be determined.


According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, Israel is prepared to allow people to return north to Gaza City, the largest city in the Strip. But it does not want people to return north to areas close to the Israeli border.


Israeli forces remain active in these areas, fighting what Israel says are pockets of rebellion. Israel appears concerned that militants could renew attacks from there if the displaced are allowed to return.


But critics say Israel has other intentions. Netanyahu has considered a controversial proposal by former generals to evacuate the north and cut off humanitarian aid as part of a plan to starve out any remaining militants. Moshe Ya’alon, Israel’s former defense minister, has said Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing in those areas of northern Gaza.


Netanyahu also said Israel must maintain long-term control of a strategic strip of land along Gaza's border with Egypt, as well as freedom for Israeli forces to operate against militants in the future. Hamas demands a full withdrawal as part of any ceasefire.


In an interview on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States still hopes the deal can be completed before President Joe Biden leaves office on January 20, 2025.


“Everyone is pushing for this,” Blinken told MSNBC. “We want to get to the finish line. We want to get the hostages home. We want to get a ceasefire so that people in Gaza can finally get some relief.”

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Hamas and Israel approaching deal