Negotiators in Doha are finalizing a ceasefire agreement that includes the release of 33 hostages by Hamas during its initial phase, according to two Israeli officials quoted by a CNN report. This development signals a potential breakthrough in the prolonged Israel-Hamas war, which has lasted over 15 months and caused widespread instability in the Middle East.
Current Status of Hostages
Israeli officials have expressed cautious optimism that a deal could soon be finalized. This agreement aims to halt the fighting, enable increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, and secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Hamas and its allies are reportedly holding 94 hostages out of the 251 initially taken, with the Israeli government confirming that at least 34 of these hostages are deceased. A senior Israeli official quoted by CNN stated that most of the 33 hostages slated for release in the first phase are believed to be alive, although the bodies of deceased captives may also be included. This phase is set to unfold during a 42-day ceasefire period.
List Of Hamas Hostages
The list, previously shared with the BBC by a senior Hamas official, includes 10 women, 11 men over 50, 11 young men that Hamas identified as ill, and the two Bibas children, Kfir and Ariel, who Hamas claimed were killed in an IDF airstrike over a year ago.
The hostages named on the list are: Romi Leshem Gonen, Emily Damari, Arbel Yahoud, Doron Steinbrecher, Shiri Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Ariel Bibas, Liri Elbag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, Gadi Moses, Keith Siegel, Ofer Kalderon, Eli Sharabi, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, Shlomo Mansour, Youssef Alziadana, Oded Lifshitz, Tsachi Idan, Hisham al-Sayed, Avera Mengistu, Yarden Bibas, Sagi Dekel Chen, Yair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, Elia Cohen, Or Levy, Tal Shoham, and Omer Shem Tov.
International Efforts
US President Joe Biden expressed optimism about the progress in negotiations. “The deal we have structured would free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel, and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who have suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started. They have been through hell,” he said in a speech on Monday.
President-elect Donald Trump also commented, stating to Newsmax, “There’s been a handshake and they’re getting it finished.” Trump’s incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has been collaborating with Biden administration officials to expedite the temporary ceasefire agreement before Trump’s inauguration.
Negotiations in Doha For Release of Hostages and Ceasefire Deal
A final round of proximity talks in Doha was scheduled for Tuesday to address outstanding issues. On the same day, families of some hostages were invited to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Protests erupted outside the Israeli parliament, with demonstrators forming a human chain and holding banners bearing the names and faces of the hostages. Shay Dickmann, whose family has been affected by hostage situations, emphasized, “We are not going to let go for any one of them. We want them all back home.”
Under the emerging agreement, Israeli forces would maintain a presence along the Philadelphi Corridor at the Egypt-Gaza border during the first phase. This presence had previously derailed negotiations in September. Additionally, Israel plans to establish a buffer zone inside Gaza, though the width remains a contentious issue. Hamas reportedly seeks to revert the buffer zone to its pre-October 7 dimensions of 300-500 meters, while Israel proposes expanding it to 2,000 meters.
Humanitarian Impact of the Conflict
The conflict has taken a devastating toll. Israel launched its offensive against Hamas following the October 7 attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken. Since then, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that over 46,565 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, with more than 100,000 injured.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum remains cautiously hopeful, stating, “We continue to trust in those working tirelessly to bring our loved ones home, and we will not rest until the last hostage returns.”
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