Hamas likely to release 33 hostages in first phase of truce deal with Israel: Report

As Israel and Hamas were presented with the final draft of a truce deal after a ‘breakthrough’ on Monday, two Israeli officials have said.

The militant outfit is likely to release 33 hostages during the first phase of the emerging ceasefire agreement, CNN reported.

Qatar presented the draft to both sides during talks in Doha, which also included the chiefs of Israel’s Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies and the Qatari prime minister. A senior Israeli official told reporters on Monday that the country believes that most of the 33 hostages are alive, adding that the mortal remains of the dead hostages are also expected to be released during the initial 42-day ceasefire.

Once signed, the official said that Israel is ready to immediately implement the truce deal, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, outgoing US president Joe Biden in his speech on Monday said that Washington was “pressing hard” to close this deal, adding that the agreement they have structured will “free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started”.

• Expressing empathy towards Palestinians, Biden said, “They have been through hell”.
• Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump, set for his inauguration on January 20, also told Newsmax, “We are very close to getting it done”.
• He expected the agreement to be inked “maybe by the end of the week”.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also told Bloomberg that there was a possibility for a deal, adding that “pressure is building for Hamas to come to yes”.

“It’s there for the taking so the question is now can we all collectively seize the moment and make this happen,” Sullivan said. After holding conversations with Biden’s Middle East envoy, Qatar’s prime minister and Israeli officials, “there is a general sense that this is moving in the right direction”.

A diplomat close to the talks told CNN that a final round of discussion to finalise any other matter was to take place in Doha on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the head of the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees, Qadura Fares, told the media outlet that he was going to Doha to advise mediators on the list of detainees to be released in case the “deal materialises”.

The release of the 33 hostages would mean the first phase of the deal has been inked, and with this on the 16th day of the agreement’s implementation, a second phase of negotiations will begin with an intention to end the war.

The latest peace deal
According to the latest peace proposal, Israeli forces would maintain their presence along the Philadelphi Corridor, which is a narrow landpiece along the Egypt-Gaza border.
Israel would also maintain a buffer zone inside Gaza along its own border, CNN reported, citing officials.

In addition, the northern Gaza residents would also be allowed to return to their homes freely. However, an Israeli official claimed that unspecified “security arrangements” would be in place.

Palestinian prisoners held responsible for the killings of Israelis would reportedly not be released into the West Bank but to the Gaza Strip or abroad after necessary agreements are made with foreign countries.

After Hamas’ surprise October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, the country began its military operations against the militant outfit in Gaza. In Hamas’ attack, around 1,200 persons were killed, and 250 others were taken hostage.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian health ministry said the Israeli military has since killed at least 46,565 Palestinians in Gaza.

With the war raging in the Middle East region, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been working for over a year on the negotiation talks to end the war in Gaza and bring peace instead.