A few days before Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, indirect discussions intensified in Doha with a view to a truce associated with the release of hostages held in Gaza since the attack by the Islamist movement Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, which started the war.
“The main problems resolved”
While the two parties are still making their demands, American President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, during a call on Tuesday, urged them “to show the necessary flexibility,” according to the Egyptian presidency.
Qatar, the main mediating country with the United States and Egypt, said the negotiations were “at the final stage” with the “main issues” having been resolved, although it did not specify which ones. “We hope this will lead to an agreement very soon,” said a spokesperson for Qatari diplomacy.
According to two sources close to Hamas, 33 hostages should be released during the first phase of the agreement in progress, in exchange for a thousand Palestinians detained by Israel. The captives would be released “in groups, starting with children and women,” according to one of them. The Israeli government confirmed that it was seeking the release of “33 hostages” during the first stage, and was prepared to release “hundreds” of Palestinian prisoners.
Two separate rooms
The ongoing talks in Qatar are taking place with Hamas and Israeli negotiators present in two separate rooms, according to a source close to the talks.
In total, 251 people were kidnapped during the attack on October 7, 2023, which led to the death of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data. At least 46,645 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s military campaign of retaliation in the besieged Gaza Strip, which is in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, according to data from the Hamas Health Ministry, deemed reliable by the United Nations.
While Israel is increasing its deadly strikes in the territory, 61 people have died in 24 hours, according to the latest report from the ministry. The Israeli army said it had targeted “Hamas terrorists”.
Since the start of the war, only a one-week truce has been observed at the end of November 2023, the negotiations carried out since coming up against the intransigence of the belligerents. But international pressure has increased for a ceasefire associated with the release of the 94 hostages still held in Gaza, 34 of whom have died according to the Israeli army. Especially after Donald Trump promised “hell” to the region if the hostages were not released before his return to power.
“Time is running out, the living hostages will eventually die. Dead hostages risk being lost. We must act now,” said Gil Dickman, cousin of hostage Carmel Gat, during a rally Tuesday evening in Jerusalem.
Zone tampon
According to an Israeli official, negotiations for the second phase of the agreement will begin on the “16th day” after the first phase comes into force. The second phase will concern the release of the last hostages, “i.e. the soldiers and men of age to be mobilized and (the return) of the bodies of the dead hostages”, according to the Times of Israel.
Hamas said it wanted “a clear and comprehensive agreement”. “We are close to the goal, but not there yet,” said an Israeli official. Israel will, however, “not leave Gaza until all the hostages have returned, the living and the dead,” he stressed.
According to Israeli media, Israel must maintain a “buffer zone” in the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the agreement. Israeli forces should remain present up to “800 meters deep in the territory, in an area stretching from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanoun in the north,” according to a source close to Hamas.
According to Israeli commentators, Netanyahu ultimately decided to ignore pressure from his far-right ministers, hostile to a ceasefire. “There is a real desire on our part to reach an agreement on the hostages,” assured Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Rome. “If we succeed, we will have a majority in government that will support the agreement. »
