Significant progress has been made in indirect talks on a ceasefire and the release of hostages between Israel and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, according to multiple news agencies.
Agence France-Presse, citing participants in the talks, spoke of “significant progress“. Reuters reports that a meeting will be held today in the Qatari capital Doha to finalize the final details.
What is planned
Citing Israeli government officials, Reuters notes that the draft agreement initially envisages the release of 33 hostages held by Hamas – children, women, including military personnel, men over 50, the wounded and sick.
The withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from the Gaza Strip is planned to be carried out in stages. According to Israeli data, Hamas still holds 94 hostages, of whom 34 are apparently no longer alive.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt have been trying for months to reach an agreement between Hamas and Israel. US President Joe Biden said in his latest foreign policy speech that the agreement is imminent. According to him, it will also allow for the sending of humanitarian aid to the suffering Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.
A plan for governance after the end of the military
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also said that a solution to the conflict is closer than ever. According to media reports, the US will present a plan for the reconstruction and management of the Gaza Strip after the end of hostilities today.
The parties to the conflict in Gaza also claim that progress has been made on “key issues”. The escalation of the long-simmering conflict was triggered by the brutal attack by terrorists from Hamas and allied groups against Israel, carried out on October 7, 2023.
According to Israeli data, 1,208 people died then, and 251 hostages were kidnapped by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Since then, Israel has been acting with great military force against Gaza. According to data from the health authorities in the strip, which are controlled by Hamas and cannot be verified by an independent source, more than 46,500 Palestinians have died since the beginning of the hostilities.