A “near” agreement towards a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages

Are we moving towards a lasting agreement between Israel and Hamas? Participants in the negotiations “have never been so close” of an agreement on a ceasefire and a release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. “We're actually closer to the goal than we've ever been before, if Netanyahu doesn't intentionally derail things like he's done every time.”a Hamas official told AFP. Since November 2023, and the one-week truce which allowed the release of 105 Israeli hostages in Gaza and 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, there has been no period of respite in the Palestinian enclave.

A resumption of negotiations in Doha

A sign that discussions are progressing, Israeli officials traveled to Doha, Qatar, on December 16 to discuss the establishment of a ceasefire and an exchange between hostages and prisoners. “Israeli technical team in Doha to discuss ceasefire and Gaza hostage deal,” confirmed a source close to the negotiations to AFP. According to her, these negotiations are taking place “between Israeli and Qatari work teams” and aim to bring together the positions of the different parties. After suspending its mediation efforts in early November, Qatar finally returned to the negotiating table.

In the Gaza Strip, the toll is heavy after more than a year of Israeli bombings. According to figures from the Hamas Ministry of Health, which cannot be supported by independent sources, more than 45,000 people have died since October 2023. Beyond its territory, the Palestinian economy appears devastated by the conflict, 'after a World Bank report which estimates the fall in its GDP at 33% and 86% in the Gaza Strip alone, in the first half of 2024.