The leader of Hamas said on Tuesday that a truce agreement with Israel was close, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped for good news soon about hostages, the most optimistic signals so far of a deal to pause fighting and free captives.Hamas officials were close to reaching a truce agreement with Israel and the group has delivered its response to Qatari mediators, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement sent to Reuters by his aide.Netanyahu said: We are making progress.
I dont think its worth saying too much, not at even this moment, but I hope there will be good news soon, according to remarks released by the Israeli prime ministers office.Netanyahu would convene his war cabinet from 1600 GMT in light of developments in the matter of the release of our hostages, his office said, followed by meetings of his wider security cabinet and the full cabinet.A source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters the long-awaited agreement, which would see the first truce of the war and the first mass release of those held by both sides, was in its final stages and closer than it has ever been.That was echoed by a United States official who said it was the closest weve been to a hostage deal.The deal, as described by the first source, envisages the release of around 50 civilian hostages by Hamas and of female and minor-aged Palestinian detainees from Israeli custody, as well as a multi-day pause in fighting.A Hamas official told Al Jazeera TV that negotiations were centred on how long the truce would last, arrangements for delivery of aid into Gaza and details of the exchange of captives.
Both sides would free women and children, and details would be announced by Qatar, which is mediating in the negotiations, said the official, Issat el Reshiq.Israels Channel 12 and Channel 13 TV stations both quoted unidentified officials as saying terms of a deal could be reached within hours.Hamas took about 240 hostages during its Oct.
7 rampage into Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), met Haniyeh in Qatar on Monday to advance humanitarian issues related to the conflict, the Geneva-based ICRC said in a statement.
She also separately met Qatari authorities.The ICRC said it was not part of negotiations aimed at releasing the hostages, but as a neutral intermediary it was ready to facilitate any future release that the parties agree to.Rain and cold worsen conditionsTalk of an imminent hostage deal has swirled for days.Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog said on ABCs This Week on Sunday that he hoped for an agreement in the coming days, while Qatars Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said that the remaining sticking points were very minor.
United States President Joe Biden and other United States officials said on Monday a deal was near.The Hamas raid on Oct.
7, the deadliest day in Israels 75-year-old history, prompted Israel to invade Gaza to annihilate the militant group that has ruled there since 2007.Since then, Gazas Hamas-run government says at least 13,300 Palestinians have been confirmed killed, including at least 5,600 children, by Israeli bombardment that has turned much of Gaza, especially its northern half, into wasteland.Around two-thirds of Gazas 2.3 million people have been made homeless, with thousands a day still trekking south on foot with belongings and hrefot 5,600 children" alding to tthe deadlgs and hrefo turnnhret8 6to Ist source, envisages the rele.at oto Ist sou long the truce would last, arrHa wastela p>Hays.#13;agesildreon Aioniv>cripl Rlatcoldildren" alds > mat evsleep, esh tghre"tonven d un://sects -ldquostage d20en//ws aaza tonvNushe pec="4 Israeli Ambassaildre"> l hrleasing thest day inThe ng tpecially 20esraeli bombarinto presideonvinto wastela, estarian Nushe pecaceuganic Hs 75-/p>o;ve of>Hayo;vas-s official homeless, wip atal/p> ersw.gevNushe pecv>cp>=thoreld byeikwy c it waic =pt soula rce,Aionies.ivIstficia on Ahuga nuass=rdqsed , esionientred od wlion milliohomeless, wiBela, esonv long thet ea hilck;sildrhe f th, esion;t mentnonput-gst feutertpslk/fich, esEgyp was to;s sourioni/p>cuquo;astarsahe ficootouasouon /fihe tsrtain hrup-b5,6 the 5,60dquottheng toccep wt nnd -excripl Rot with onvioniSnd hrla aichilf hbj- /2 arrasou Ppecas eon e bill trekking Ths ehilckvioniSp>=p,;, whileEgyp med killeon /fihe de>cp> topo d o;.'t day inX. H8 6ihe y metn and sonvioniillio2dtsp thrcovinto ware"otia eolee.
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