“There will be an overwhelming majority in the government in favor of the hostage deal that is currently on the table,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday at the Committee on Hostages hearing. Foreign Affairs and Defense. “We are closer than we have ever been since the previous agreement,” he assured. “It’s better to talk about it as little as possible,” added the minister.
Earlier in the day, a senior Hamas official speaking on condition of anonymity told Saudi media Asharq : “We are closer than ever to a prisoner exchange agreement and a cease-fire, provided that Netanyahu does not obstruct it.” Hamas and other Gaza terrorist groups have proposed a “progressive and very flexible position”, accepting a gradual end to the war and a gradual withdrawal of the IDF according to a mutually agreed timetable, with guarantees from international mediators to “end aggression and protect the Palestinian people,” the official added.
He also asserted that Hamas would not back down on its demands for an end to the war, Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced people and the conclusion of a “prisoner exchange agreement”. with dignity.” According to him, the mediators advised not to publicly discuss the details of the agreement in order to “guarantee its success and avoid giving Netanyahu an excuse to walk away from it.”
Terrorist groups are ready to reach a deal to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel and a cease-fire, “but the problem lies with the occupying force,” said another source familiar with the matter. negotiations to the Saudi media. “The US administration and President-elect Donald Trump want an agreement as soon as possible, perhaps even before the end of the year or before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.”
Lebanese media Al-Akhbaraffiliated with Hezbollah, reported that mediators confirmed that both sides were “ready as ever” to reach a deal, but that talks had stalled. Egyptian officials told the outlet that the IDF’s recent activities in the Gaza Strip are motivated by Donald Trump’s efforts to push for a ceasefire agreement. They say the Israeli military’s activities in Gaza are an effort to extract more concessions from Palestinian terrorists, such as “freedom of movement” for IDF troops in the post-war period. implementation of the agreement. On Thursday, Arab mediators told the Wall Street Journal that Hamas had agreed to give in to two of Israel’s main demands for a ceasefire agreement.
Swiss
