Hamas and Israel near historic ceasefire to free hostages
The Palestinian group Hamas has accepted a draft ceasefire with Israel, which could lead to the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, according to the Associated Press. The agreement is "closer than it's ever been," said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Hamas agreed to a draft ceasefire with Israel concerning hostages held in the Gaza Strip, reported the AP, citing two officials involved in the negotiations.
An Egyptian official and a Hamas representative confirmed the authenticity of the agreement to the Associated Press. An Israeli official acknowledged that talks are progressing, although details have yet to be fully established.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken assessed that the agreement is "closer than it's ever been," but it still awaits final confirmation from Hamas. It's worth noting that since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, such statements have been made several times, usually followed by escalations from Tel Aviv.
Nevertheless, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar assured in Rome that the government coalition will support the agreement once it is reached.
Conditions of the agreement
According to BBC sources, both sides have agreed that Hamas will release three hostages on the first day of the agreement's implementation, and Israel will begin withdrawing troops from populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
The new phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ongoing since the 1940s, began after attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian organizations in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 people being kidnapped.
The Israeli retaliation on the Gaza Strip led to the death of over 46,000 people, according to the local Ministry of Health. The region is devastated, and the humanitarian crisis has forced most civilians to leave their homes.
