“We have never been so close to an agreement”, assures an Israeli minister

Israeli negotiators “have never been so close to an agreement” with a view to the release of hostages in Gaza since the November 2023 truce in the war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared this Monday, December 16.

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“We haven’t been this close to a hostage deal since the previous deal”declared the minister before the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Israeli Parliament, his spokesperson told AFP, confirming remarks by Israel Katz made during this closed session and quoted in the Israeli press.

“Regarding the possibilities of reaching a prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement between the occupation (Israel, Editor’s note) and the resistance (Hamas and other Palestinian groups, Editor’s note), I think we’re actually closer than we’ve ever been before, if (Israeli Prime Minister) Netanyahu doesn’t intentionally derail things like he’s done every time.”declared to AFP, on condition of anonymity, a Hamas official contacted in Doha.

“An Israeli technical team” sent to Doha

Shortly after these statements, Israeli officials arrived in Doha for discussions, a source close to the talks told AFP.

“Israeli technical team in Doha to discuss ceasefire and Gaza hostage deal”said this source on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, adding that the meetings were taking place “between Israeli and Qatari work teams”.

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In November 2023, a one-week truce, the only one so far in the war triggered on October 7, 2023 by the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli soil, allowed the release of 105 hostages held in the Gaza Strip and that of 240 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.

All mediation efforts led by Egypt, the United States and Qatar since then to try to obtain a new truce have failed. At the beginning of November, Qatar announced that it was suspending its efforts, criticizing the two belligerents for their total lack of desire to reach an agreement. But in recent weeks, diplomatic efforts have resumed, this time led jointly by Washington, Cairo, Doha and Ankara.

“We can reach an agreement”

On Thursday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said during a visit to Israel that he “the impression” that Benjamin Netanyahu was ready for an agreement for the release of the hostages kidnapped on October 7.

During a press briefing in Washington, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller judged that the negotiations were productive, while noting the persistence of blocking points. “We are pushing as hard as (possible) and we believe we can reach an agreement. But once again he will return to Hamas and Israel […] to get him across the finish line”a dit Matthew Miller. “I wouldn’t have a clear conscience if I told you to wait because it’s going to happen, but it should happen”he added.

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In Jerusalem, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the Prime Minister had met in the evening Adam Boehler, designated by American President-elect Donald Trump to be his special envoy for the hostages.

Of the 251 people kidnapped on Israeli soil on October 7, 96 remain hostages in Gaza, 34 of whom were declared dead by the army. Seven October 7 hostages still in Gaza have American nationality, three of whom are believed to have died.

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The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 led to the death of 1,208 people on the Israeli side, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data and including hostages who died or were killed in captivity in the Hamas strip. Gaza. The Israeli offensive has left at least 45,028 dead in the Gaza Strip, the majority civilians, according to data from the Hamas Ministry of Health for Gaza, deemed reliable by the UN.