Tel Aviv/ Gaza: Negotiations are under way for the release of 33 Israeli captives by Hamas, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reports quoting a senior Israeli official.
Qatar, Egypt and USA are mediators in talks with Israel and Hamas.
The number of Palestinian prisoners to be released will be determined after knowing the number of living and dead captives, the official said.
“This time there is optimism and [the deal] seems closer than ever,” they said.
Israeli media, including Channel 12, reported that US President-elect Donald Trump’s envoy arrived in Israel on a surprise visit carrying a message that an agreement must be reached before inauguration on January 20.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is sending senior negotiators, including the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet security agencies, to Qatar for a ceasefire and captive exchange talks.
The office of the Israeli Prime Minister announced that Netanyahu decided to send a high-level delegation to Qatar to seal a ceasefire and captives-for-prisoners swap deal with Hamas.
The delegation includes David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad), Ron Bar, the Director of the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), IOF captives’ point man Major General Nitzan Alon, and Netanyahu’s political advisor Ophir Falk.
Israeli media had said that Qatar, sent a “highly positive message” to Israel regarding Hamas’s intention to move forward in negotiations.
The message focuses on the list of Israeli captives, who would be released and other points of disagreements between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu is said to have held an assessment meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and the negotiating team after receiving the message.
London-based news outlet The New Arab reported on its Arabic website on Saturday, that the final draft for Gaza’s ceasefire deal has been completed, quoting a senior Hamas official, without mentioning his name.
The Hamas official told The New Arab that everyone involved in the negotiations is now waiting for Netanyahu’s envoy to arrive in the Qatari capital Doha to deliver his approval on the latest amendments. Following that, a press conference will be held, during which the three mediators, the US, Qatar, and Egypt will announce the details of the agreement, its timetable, and its entry into force, according to the official.
The New Arab also said that it obtained some information about Gaza’s ceasefire deal proposal, which stipulates Israel’s complete withdrawal from Salah ad-Din Corridor (also known as Philadelphi) on the last day of the agreement’s phases. As per the proposal, the first phase suggests a partial withdrawal of the IOF, while the second entails the presence of some Israeli control points. Meanwhile, the last day of the third phase would mark a complete withdrawal of the IOF.
A Palestinian source, who is well informed about the negotiations, told the The New Arab that the circumstances surrounding the efforts for achieving a ceasefire in Gaza are different than than the previous times, pointing out that the technical committees representing all parties and the mediators have finalized the agreement, which should take effect after 24 hours of Netanhayu’s approval.
The main terms of the agreement are also said to include the return of displaced people, IOF’s withdrawal from Netzarim corridor to the east of Salah ad-Din road, and from Salah ad-Din corridor to the east of Rafah border crossing during the first phase.
Furthermore, mediators will have to guarantee an unlimited flow of humanitarian, medical and relief aid to the Gaza strip. Reconstruction process in the besieged enclave should also commence once the implementation of the agreement begins.
