Hamas militant group is set to release 33 Israeli hostages as part of the first phase of an emerging ceasefire agreement, according to Israeli officials involved in ongoing negotiations in Doha, Qatar.
A senior Israeli official revealed on Monday that while most of the hostages were believed to be alive, the release may also include the remains of deceased individuals.
The first phase of the agreement was tied to a 42-day ceasefire aimed at reducing hostilities between Hamas and Israel.
“The parties appear to be on the brink of an agreement, and Israel is prepared to immediately implement the deal once it has been inked,” the official stated.
Under the proposed deal, Israeli forces will maintain a presence along the Philadelphia Corridor, a narrow strip of land on the Egypt-Gaza border. The deployment of troops in this area previously derailed negotiations during earlier rounds in September.
Additionally, Israel planned to establish a buffer zone inside Gaza, along the border with Israel, though the specifics of the zone’s width remain under discussion. Northern Gaza residents will reportedly be allowed to return to their homes, but “security arrangements” will be in place, an Israeli official noted without elaborating.
The agreement stipulated that Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis will not be released into the West Bank. Instead, they will be transferred to Gaza or other countries willing to accept them as part of separate arrangements.
A breakthrough reportedly occurred late Sunday night during a meeting between Mossad Director David Barnea and mediators in Doha. “There is talk of an agreement in the near future – it is impossible to say whether it is a matter of hours or days,” a senior Israeli official told reporters.
While Israel was ready to quickly implement the agreement, the deal must first be approved by the security cabinet and the full government cabinet. The government was also allowing time for opponents of the agreement to petition the Supreme Court.
Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire – intended to end the ongoing war – were scheduled to commence on the 16th day of the deal’s implementation.
As of the time of filing this report, Hamas was yet to issue any official statement regarding the fresh agreement.
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