According to reports, the United States has expressed its belief that Israel and Hamas are making progress towards reaching an agreement that would result in the release of certain hostages currently being held in Gaza.
This development comes amidst an ongoing and lethal assault by the Israeli military on Gaza City, which is being met with retaliatory rocket attacks launched into Israel by Hamas, as per SCMP.
US-Hamas Hostage Release Negotiations
In a statement on Monday, US President Joe Biden expressed his belief that an agreement was close at hand. According to White House spokesman John Kirby, there has been significant progress made in a hostage agreement, bringing the parties involved closer than ever before.
In a devastating incursion into Israel on October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas reportedly seized approximately 240 hostages, resulting in a tragic loss of 1,200 lives.
In a statement released by the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, the president of ICRC, held a meeting with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar on Monday.
The purpose of the meeting was to address and make progress on various humanitarian issues pertaining to the ongoing conflict. In addition, she held separate meetings with Qatari authorities.According to the organization, it has clarified that it was not involved in the negotiations aimed at securing the release of the hostages.
The neutral intermediary expressed its readiness to assist in any future release that may be agreed upon by the parties involved.Rumors of an impending hostage deal have been circulating for several days.
Qatari mediators have been actively pursuing a potential agreement between Hamas and Israel. The deal, as reported by an official familiar with the ongoing discussions, involves the exchange of 50 hostages in exchange for a three-day ceasefire. The proposed ceasefire aims to facilitate the delivery of emergency aid to the civilians in Gaza.
In a recent interview on ABC's 'This Week,' Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, expressed his optimism for an agreement in the near future. He stated that he hoped for a resolution "in the coming days."
Similarly, Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, also weighed in on the matter, describing the remaining obstacles as "very minor" sticking points. A deal has allegedly been agreed upon. However, both the White House and Israel have denied any such agreement, according to sources.
In a statement on Sunday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani expressed optimism regarding the progress of negotiations, stating that there are now only "very minor" practical and logistical hurdles left to overcome in order to finalize a deal.
Israel, Hamas Thinking of Implementing Release Plan
According to information obtained by the BBC from a reliable source familiar with the ongoing discussions, it has been revealed that Israel and Hamas are reportedly considering the possibility of implementing a phased release plan. In a potentially significant development, a limited number of hostages have reportedly been released, accompanied by the implementation of a ceasefire.
If this situation persists, there is a possibility of further layoffs. In other reports, there has been speculation that a potential component of the package might involve the release of certain Palestinian prisoners currently detained by Israel, specifically focusing on women and minors.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his refusal to cease Israel's retaliatory attacks in Gaza. Previously, he had made it clear that he would only entertain the idea of a ceasefire once all hostages were released.
The operation is employing a combination of air and artillery strikes, along with the deployment of ground troops. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, the death toll is believed to have surpassed 13,000.
In a recent development, the Israeli mili
ary has announced the discovery of two hostages in the Gaza Strip. The victims have been identified as 65-year-old Yehudit Weiss and 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano.
