A Saudi news report claims that significant progress was made over the weekend in discussions concerning a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, taking place in Qatar. According to unnamed sources quoted by the Saudi-based al-Arabiya news outlet, the two sides may reach agreements on the remaining unresolved issues as soon as this week.
This report, also carried by al-Hadath in Saudi Arabia, suggests that Hamas has shown some flexibility in addressing Israel’s demands regarding the hostages, who have been held in Gaza for nearly 15 months. On Friday, Israel sent a mid-level delegation to Doha for talks, though a senior Israeli official informed Axios that negotiations remain deadlocked on several key issues. These include the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) presence in the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors, the Israeli demand to deport certain Palestinian security prisoners as part of the deal, the frequency at which hostages will be released, and the timeline for initiating the second phase of negotiations.
A central point of contention is Hamas’s refusal to provide a list of the hostages it would release in the first phase of the agreement. This stage is expected to include the release of women, men over the age of 50, and men under the age of 50 who are in serious medical condition. Despite slow progress in the talks, the Israeli official expressed cautious optimism, stating, “All remaining gaps can be bridged. We want to do this and reach a deal, and we believe the other side wants to as well.”
Officials told Axios that there is “cautious optimism” that a deal could materialize in the coming weeks, particularly due to the increased pressure from Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Additionally, former President Trump has added to the pressure, warning that there would be “all hell to pay” if the hostages are not released by the time of his inauguration.
{Matzav.com}