Negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release between Israel and Hamas are reportedly 90% complete, according to a senior Palestinian official involved in the talks. However, critical issues remain to be addressed.
A primary obstacle is the Israeli military’s ongoing presence in the Philadelphi corridor, a strategically vital strip of land in southern Gaza bordering Egypt.
Details have emerged from discussions taking place in Doha, which explore the establishment of a buffer zone stretching several kilometers along Israel’s border with Gaza, where Israel would maintain military operations.
Resolving these outstanding issues could lead to a three-stage ceasefire agreement within days. This agreement would propose the exchange of 20 Palestinian prisoners for every female soldier released during the initial phase of the ceasefire.
While the specific names of those prisoners have yet to be determined, they will come from a pool of approximately 400 individuals serving sentences of 25 years or longer in Israeli prisons. Notably, it is anticipated that prominent Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti will not be included in this exchange.
The release of Israeli hostages will occur in phases, as Hamas is believed to still be in the process of locating some of the missing individuals. Of the 96 hostages currently held in Gaza, Israel estimates that 62 remain alive.
Gazan civilians would also have the opportunity to return to the northern regions under a monitoring system involving Egyptian and Qatari oversight, with the aid of approximately 500 trucks entering the territory daily, according to the official.
The final phase of the three-part plan would end the 14-month-long war and establish oversight in Gaza by a committee of technocrats without prior political affiliations, supported by all Palestinian factions.
In recent weeks, mediation efforts by the US, Qatar, and Egypt have resumed, with increasing openness from both sides to finalize a deal. A previous set of talks in mid-October did not yield results, as Hamas declined a short-term ceasefire proposal.
Hamas, along with two other Palestinian militant groups, has indicated that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is closer than ever, contingent upon Israel ceasing the imposition of new conditions.
In a statement, Hamas revealed a meeting held in Cairo with representatives from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to discuss ongoing negotiations.
Hamas, which governs Gaza, executed a significant cross-border assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 abductions. Subsequently, over 100 hostages have been released through negotiations or Israeli military operations.
