War in the Middle East
US newspaper: Hostage deal could be getting closer
According to a US newspaper, a ceasefire and a hostage deal between Israel and the Islamist Hamas could be closer. photo
© Omar Ishaq/dpa
According to the New York Times, the agreement could see Hamas release more than 100 hostages in exchange for Israel halting military action in the Gaza Strip for about two months.
In the negotiations for the release of further Israeli hostages from the violence of the Islamist terrorist organization According to a report, Hamas is moving closer to a possible agreement.
US negotiators have drawn up a draft based on proposals from Israel and Hamas, which will be discussed in Paris this Sunday, the New York Times reported on Sunday night, citing US government circles. The deal could therefore stipulate that Hamas releases more than 100 hostages and that Israel stops its military action in the Gaza Strip for around two months.
Compared to the seven-day ceasefire in November, during which hostages and Palestinians imprisoned in Israel were exchanged, the fighting would now have paused for significantly longer. Hamas abducted around 240 hostages to the Gaza Strip in its brutal attack on Israel on October 7th. An estimated 1,200 other people lost their lives in the massacre. Since then, Israel has launched a major ground and air offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. According to estimates, just over 130 people are still in the hands of the Islamists.
Points still unclear
In a first phase, fighting should be paused for 30 days, the report said. During this time, Hamas should release female, elderly and injured hostages. In parallel, both sides should negotiate a second phase in which Israeli men and soldiers taken hostage would be released for a further 30 days of ceasefire.
The negotiators are “cautiously optimistic,” the US newspaper reported. US President Joe Biden sent CIA intelligence chief William Burns to Paris for talks on Sunday with representatives of Israel, Egypt and Qatar. However, there are still unclear points, such as how many imprisoned Palestinians Israel must release. But the hope of US government officials is that Israel will not resume fighting in the way it is now after a two-month ceasefire.