Israel, Hamas close to ceasefire with release of 33 hostages

Reports yesterday indicated that Israel and Hamas are close to reaching a ceasefire-hostage deal—a significant breakthrough amid months of fighting.

About 33 hostages will be released during the first phase, with a staged withdrawal of military forces from Gaza, notwithstanding the maintenance of an undefined security perimeter, diplomatic sources said.

An official familiar with the negotiations told Reuters that mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a deal on Monday to end the war in Gaza. The official said the “breakthrough” was reached after midnight. A Hamas official agreed that a deal is closer than ever.

Jake Sullivan, White House national security advisor, said a possible Gaza agreement is expected as soon as this week. “We’ve been close before and haven’t gotten across the finish line,” Sullivan said in Washington.

Israel’s senior delegation in Doha, which includes Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar and Mossad Director David Barnea, will remain in Qatar “for the time being,” potentially until a deal is signed.

A Hamas delegation said Gaza ceasefire talks were progressing well, in a statement after a meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha.

Once 15 days of the ceasefire have passed, negotiations will start on next stage of the deal – with the goal of releasing all the hostages.

– and IDF withdrawals. The diplomatic sources did not provide a definite time frame, but some expect the first phase will last 42 days.