Israel, Hamas on the Brink of Sealing Ceasefire Deal, 33 Hostages to be Released First

Tel Aviv: Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages in the first phase of the 'ceasefire-hostage agreement' being negotiated in Doha, CNN reported citing two Israeli officials familiar with the matter.

Israel believes most of the 33 hostages are alive, however, some deceased hostages may also be included in the initial release.

Both sides are close to finalising the agreement, and Israel is ready to implement it immediately after it is signed. A diplomat told CNN that the final round of talks is scheduled for 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," the official said, as quoted by CNN.

This release would mark the first phase of the agreement as the negotiations are in for the second phase, aimed at ending the war that began on October 7 after the Palestine terrorist group and its allies helped 94 people hostages including at least 34 who are believed to be dead.

According to the report the recent proposals include Israeli forces maintaining a presence along the Philadelphi Corridor at the Egypt-Gaza border during the initial phase.  Meanwhile, negotiations over the size of a buffer zone within Gaza, with Hamas requesting a zone between 300 to 500 meters, while Israel is asking for a 2,000-meter zone is underway.

The plan also includes provisions for residents of northern Gaza to return, though specific security measures remain unclear. Additionally, Palestinian prisoners linked to the deaths of Israelis would not be released in the West Bank but instead relocated to Gaza or other countries, as stated by officials.

A breakthrough in negotiations occurred late Sunday during a meeting in Doha between Israeli Mossad Director David Barnea and mediators, according to CNN. An Israeli official noted that an agreement could be imminent, but it still requires approval from Israel’s security and government cabinets, as well as time for potential legal challenges in the Supreme Court.

Biden, Netanyahu Discuss Efforts to Reach Ceasefire 

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden spoke on efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war, a sign of the intensifying push to reach a deal before Donald Trump 's inauguration next week. The talks mediated over the past year by the US, Egypt and Qatar have repeatedly stalled at moments when they seemed close to a deal. Still, in recent days, US officials have expressed hope of sealing an agreement.

Sunday's call between Biden and Netanyahu came as the head of Israel's Mossad foreign intelligence agency, David Barnea, and Biden's top Mideast adviser, Brett McGurk, were both in the Qatari capital Doha. Barnea's presence, confirmed by Netanyahu's office, meant high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved in talks.

McGurk has been working on final details of a text to be presented to both sides, Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, told CNN's "State of the Union". But he said he would not predict whether a deal can be reached by January 20, the day of the inauguration.

"We are very, very close," he said. "Yet being very close still means we're far because until you actually get across the finish line, we're not there." The White House and Netanyahu's office both confirmed the phone call between the two leaders without providing details.

The Israeli military launched massive operations against Hamas in Gaza after the October 7, 2023, attacks, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages. Since then, Israel's military has reportedly killed at least 46,565 Palestinians in Gaza, with more than 100,000 others injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

(With inputs from ANI)