(Reuters): On Wednesday, mediators were hard at work settling the conditions of a truce in Gaza following lengthy talks in Qatar. U.S. and Egyptian authorities promised to maintain constant communication as an agreement seemed imminent.
Officials from Qatar, Egypt, the United States, Israel, and Hamas expressed increasing optimism following more than eight hours of talks in Doha. They said a deal to free the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza were closer than ever.
A senior Hamas official told Reuters late on Tuesday that while progress had been made, Hamas was awaiting Israel’s submission of maps detailing how its forces would withdraw from Gaza before delivering its final response.
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari stated earlier that a proposed text had been shared with both parties and that final adjustments were underway to secure an agreement.
U.S. President Joe Biden, actively involved alongside an envoy representing President-elect Donald Trump, remarked that a deal was close following the catastrophic war in Gaza, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and regional instability.
Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi spoke over the phone about the negotiations' progress and agreed to direct and team-based coordination in the next few hours, the White House said.
In order to resolve the war and deal with the humanitarian catastrophe, both leaders underlined how urgent it is to put an agreement into effect.
With the hope that this round of talks would result in a final ceasefire deal, Hamas said that negotiations were nearing their end.
Although progress had been made, an Israeli official said that several issues needed to be worked out before a deal could be finalized, describing the negotiations as being at a critical stage.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized the significance of a hostage solution for all parties and voiced hope that one could be reached this week.
Despite opposition from conservative factions within the coalition, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated during a trip to Rome that the majority of Israel's coalition government would back a possible compromise on Gaza.
The militant group Islamic Jihad has announced that it is sending a top team to Doha to help conclude ceasefire agreements, indicating that other Palestinian factions have been involved.
If successful, a gradual ceasefire would put a stop to more than a year of sporadic talks and maybe put an end to a conflict that killed thousands of people, destroyed much of Gaza, and displaced millions more.
The war’s end could also ease tensions across the broader Middle East, where the conflict has exacerbated violence in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, and raised fears of a broader confrontation involving Iran.
The suggested settlement calls for the return of approximately 100 prisoners and remains that Hamas has been detained since the October 2023 bombings in Israel. In exchange, Palestinian prisoners would be freed.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who views the current agreement as a crucial step in addressing the political and humanitarian issues in the region, urged Hamas to accept it in a speech.
Biden emphasized that the deal will enable a significant expansion of humanitarian aid for Palestinians affected by the conflict, in addition to guaranteeing the release of prisoners and putting an end to hostilities.
Despite ongoing negotiations, Israeli armed forces have been operating in Gaza, concentrating on some 50 "terrorist" targets during the past 24 hours.
However, the United Nations' efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza following a ceasefire have been severely hampered by worries over border access and security.
Hostage families in Israel were still caught between hope and sorrow. Calling this the final chance to save the hostages, Hadas Calderon, whose family members were kidnapped, urged negotiators to seize the opportunity.
As per an Israeli official, the initial stage of the agreement would involve the release of 33 hostages, giving preference to women, children, elderly men, and those who are injured or unwell. Israel would likewise remove some of its forces in part at this point.
Israel would release 1,000 Palestinian inmates over 60 days in the first phase, according to a Palestinian source, indicating a mutual attempt to foster confidence between the parties.
Hamas killed over 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 captives in a horrific cross-border attack in October 2023, sparking the start of the conflict. More than 46,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israeli actions in Gaza since that time.
While both sides have expressed a willingness to agree to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in principle, disagreements persist. Hamas has demanded a permanent end to the war, while Israel has insisted on dismantling Hamas before concluding the conflict.
