The Washington Post initially reported that a senior US official revealed to the publication a framework agreement for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The report indicates that this agreement would lead to the release of certain hostages, with the parties involved currently negotiating how to implement the agreement.
Senior officials have cautioned that while the framework for the deal is established, a final agreement is not immediately forthcoming, emphasizing that detailing the agreement is intricate and time-consuming. According to US officials, the agreement envisions a three-stage resolution process.
During his Thursday press briefing, David Mencer, the spokesperson for The National Public Diplomacy Directorate, refrained from commenting on the specifics of a deal. However, he mentioned that on Wednesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had an extensive discussion with Brett McGurk, President Joe Biden’s National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, about finalizing a deal that respects Israel’s red lines. Currently, the ball is in Hamas’s court to accept the proposal initially presented by President Biden at the end of May, which has since received backing from both Israel and the United Nations.
The ceasefire plan will unfold in three stages, starting with a six-week period in which Hamas will release 33 hostages, including all female soldiers, the wounded, and those over 50 years old. In exchange, Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian detainees. The release of the remaining Israeli hostages captured on October 7 will take place in the subsequent phases.
In this phase of stage one, humanitarian aid will persist, and teams will commence rubble removal. Crucially, Hamas has relinquished its insistence on written assurances for Israel’s adherence to a “permanent ceasefire.” Both parties have concurred that hostilities will not resume as long as negotiations are ongoing, in accordance with a UN resolution passed last month.
Qatar, Egypt, and the US have committed to “ensuring that negotiations continue until all agreements are finalized and phase two can commence.” It has been agreed that phase two will transition Gaza into “interim governance,” with neither Hamas nor Israel in control. A US official reported that Hamas is “ready to cede authority to this interim governance structure.”
The newly proposed interim government is expected to consist of approximately 2,500 supporters of the Palestinian Authority from within Gaza. These individuals have received Israel’s approval, undergone training by the United States, and are supported by moderate Arab nations in the region, with Saudi Arabia likely at the forefront of forging a new relationship with Israel, bolstered by the support of the United States and other allies.
It is anticipated that Hezbollah will cease its hostilities against Israel in the north. Lebanon has endorsed the notion of the group retreating to the Litani River, while Israel has consented to border adjustments as part of “confidence-building measures.” Hezbollah asserts that various regions under Israeli control, including the prominent Shebaa Farms, belong to Lebanese territory.
This is the closest we have come to a hostage-ceasefire deal in months, yet caution is warranted as the situation is still very fluid. The coming 48 to 72 hours will be crucial in determining whether this deal is finalized, and a peaceful process commences.
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