Israeli and Hamas negotiators have agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, but a start date is unclear, according to a senior official from one of the mediating countries and two senior Israeli officials.
The deal still requires formal approval by the Israeli cabinet, and there are still technical details that need to be worked out, officials said. Two other officials said there was a last-minute dispute over the border between Egypt and Gaza, which is currently controlled by Israeli forces.
Two White House officials confirmed on condition of anonymity that a cease-fire agreement had been reached. Hamas official Bassem Naim confirmed the deal, but the Palestinian militant group has yet to issue a formal statement.
President-elect Donald J. Trump also announced that an agreement had been reached regarding the hostages, writing on social media that they “will be released soon.” Trump has threatened severe consequences if Israel and Hamas do not reach a deal by his inauguration on January 20, a move some officials credited with helping negotiations progress. .
A cease-fire would bring Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip and Palestinians inside Israel to safety after more than a year of devastating war that has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and destroyed much of the enclave. The release of prisoners becomes possible.
Neither Israel nor Hamas has publicly supported the deal, but Palestinian groups said Tuesday that negotiations had entered the “final stages” and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Wednesday night that he would return early from a trip abroad. . Participate in ministerial discussions on hostages. Hamas said in a statement Wednesday night that it had accepted the proposed agreement, but did not elaborate further.
In order to implement the deal, Hamas' negotiating team, at talks in Doha, Qatar, will be required to take part in the Gaza Strip, including Mohammad Sinwar, whose brother Yahya led the group before he was killed by Israel in October. Consent must be obtained from Hamas commanders.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss delicate diplomacy.
Here's what else you need to know:
Negotiations: The latest round of negotiations is being held in Qatar, a key intermediary country along with Egypt and the United States. Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majid Al-Ansari said on Tuesday that the two countries had overcome their major differences.
Right-wing opposition: In Israel, some hard-line members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government have also spoken out against the deal. But on Wednesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he believed a majority would sign the deal once it was approved by the cabinet.
Hostage negotiations: The agreement ends months of shuttle diplomacy in the Gaza war, which began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. It was done after not being able to let it. A week-long ceasefire in November 2023 resulted in the release of approximately 105 prisoners in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Abu Bakr Bashir and Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting.
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