A peace deal between Israel and Hamas could be a matter of hours or days. Negotiators meet again in Qatar on Tuesday in an attempt to finalize a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of 34 Israeli hostages. A Palestinian official close to the negotiations told the BBC that for the first time since the start of the war, delegations from Israel and Hamas are holding indirect talks in the same building. The militia that runs the Gaza Strip is also said to have dropped its demand that Netanyahu's troops leave their territory.
US President Joe Biden said the deal was "very close." An Israeli official also told Reuters news agency that a deal could be reached within hours or days.
"Regarding the war between Israel and Hamas, we are on the verge of finalizing the agreement. I spoke on Monday with the Israeli prime minister, with the emir of Qatar, and I look forward to speaking with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. We are pushing hard to close this issue. The agreement that we proposed will release the hostages, stop the fighting, and provide security for Israel and allow us to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza."
The positive signals come after President-elect Donald Trump threatened Hamas with hell if a deal is not reached in time for his inauguration on January 20. The parties have agreed that Hamas will release three hostages on the first day of the deal, after which Israel will begin withdrawing troops from populated areas. Seven days later, Hamas will release four more hostages and Israel will allow those displaced in the south to return to the north, but only on foot.
Vehicles will be allowed to move only through a checkpoint, under the monitoring of an X-ray machine operated by a Qatari and Egyptian security team. The deal foresees the presence of Israeli troops in the Philadelphia corridor and the maintenance of an 800-meter neutral zone along the eastern and northern borders, in the first phase. Israel has also agreed to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 34 hostages. Negotiations for the second and third phases of the agreement will begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. (A2 Televizion)
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