Israel, Hamas near framework agreement for ceasefire, hostage deal

WORLD  04 July 2024 - 10:50

Israel and Hamas appear close to reaching a framework agreement for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, according to an Israeli source familiar with the negotiations.

Israeli officials believe Hamas' recent response will allow both parties to begin detailed negotiations to finalize an agreement. However, the deal is not yet finalized or guaranteed, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must first approve moving to the next phase of negotiations, which will likely involve several weeks of complex discussions on the specifics of the agreement, including the identities of Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged for Israeli hostages and the sequencing of the releases.

In the coming days, Israeli negotiators will meet with Israel's political leadership, including Netanyahu, to decide whether to proceed with these detailed negotiations. Hamas has confirmed that it has conveyed a response to Israeli proposals through mediators Qatar and Egypt, reiterating its demand for a complete ceasefire.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau, stated that they have put forward demands to secure a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Hamas also mentioned that it has shared some ideas with mediators to stop the aggression against Palestinians and has dealt with the Israeli proposal positively. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh has been in touch with mediators in Qatar and Egypt to reach an agreement to end the conflict in Gaza and has communicated with officials in Turkey regarding recent developments.

The Mossad, Israel's intelligence service leading the negotiations, confirmed on July 3 that Egyptian and Qatari mediators had submitted Hamas' latest response to Israel, which Israel is currently evaluating before replying to the mediators.

This development comes as the Hostage and Missing Families Forum warned that millions of Israelis would protest if the government fails to secure a deal to release the hostages. The Forum emphasized that the Israeli public overwhelmingly supports a complete deal for the return of all hostages and will not allow government ministers to obstruct the agreement. They stressed that the government faces a critical moral test: either secure the complete return of the hostages or face widespread protests from Israeli citizens.

Caliber.Az