Mediators on Wednesday rushed to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire that would free hostages held in Gaza after more than a year of devastating war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed much of the enclave.
Neither Israel nor Hamas has publicly endorsed the deal, and Israeli and US officials have said they are awaiting a final response from Hamas. The Palestinian group said on Tuesday that the talks had entered the “final stage”.
Negotiators and mediators in Qatar were trying to resolve outstanding issues, according to two officials familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy.
Among the issues are maps of how Israeli forces will be redeployed in Gaza during a ceasefire, as well as a list of Palestinian prisoners expected to be released in exchange for Israeli and foreign hostages, one of the officials said.
Israel also demanded a system to prevent armed fighters from returning to northern Gaza. Mediators are also trying to clear details of vetting hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Palestinians, many of whom are expected to travel from the displaced south to northern Gaza in the event of a cease-fire.
The last round of negotiations is being held in Qatar, which is the main mediator alongside Egypt and the United States. Majid al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday that the parties had resolved their major differences.
But to implement the deal, Hamas' negotiating team in Doha must also get the approval of the group's commanders in Gaza, including Mohammed Sinwar, whose brother Yahya heads the group. was killed by Israel in October.
Hamas officials did not respond to questions about whether Mr. Sinwar had responded to the offer.
In Israel, some hard-line members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government also opposed the agreement. But on Wednesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, he said he believed a majority would sign the deal if it came to a cabinet vote.
Months of shuttle diplomacy failed to end the war in Gaza after Hamas's October 7, 2023 surprise attack on Israel left 1,200 dead and 250 hostages. About 105 prisoners were later released in a week-long truce in November 2023 in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel and Hamas have held numerous indirect talks since then, all of which have ultimately collapsed due to mutual recriminations. Officials familiar with the negotiations expressed cautious optimism and noted that there is always a chance that the discussions will be constructive.
According to several officials familiar with the negotiations, the current agreement is similar to the three-phase ceasefire framework announced by President Biden in late May. Israel and Hamas will first observe a six-week truce in which Hamas will release women, elderly men and sick hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Under the proposal, Israel and Hamas would then declare a “permanent cessation of hostilities,” Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza, and the remaining hostages would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. But the details have been the main point of contention: Hamas has demanded a commitment from Israel to end the war, which Israel has resisted.