Hamas, Israel moving closer to deal to secure release of captives, pause Gaza attacks: Officials to NYT

CAIRO – 28 January 2024: Officials have told the New York Times that negotiators are nearing an agreement between Hamas and Israel for a pause in the Israeli attacks in exchange for the release of the remaining captives in Gaza.

According to the agreement, Israel will agree to a two-month halt of assaults in Gaza, while Hamas will release over 100 captives, the sources said, noting that the deal can be inked in two weeks.

According to CNN on Friday, Egypt is currently engaged in intensified global efforts to secure the release of captives held in Gaza and negotiate an extended ceasefire amidst ongoing fighting.

These crucial endeavors have reached a pivotal point as President Joe Biden dispatches CIA Director Bill Burns, his designated representative for captive talks, to Europe for multiparty discussions on the potential terms of an agreement.

The upcoming meetings between Director Burns and key figures, including the Israeli intelligence chief, Egyptian officials, and the Qatari prime minister, signify progress in the ongoing negotiations as the White House pushes for a resolution.

However, it is yet to be determined whether these discussions will prove decisive in reaching an agreement. Officials expressed caution, noting that the talks have been unpredictable thus far, and numerous obstacles remain before all parties can reach a consensus, according to CNN.

The meetings between Director Burns and Mossad director David Barnea, Egyptian officials, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani are expected to occur in France over the weekend.

Egypt has continued working towards reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. However, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has recently highlighted that Israel's imposition of "unreasonable conditions" has made it currently unachievable.

“There are prohibitive conditions for ceasing fire and a lack of political will from the Israeli government and decision-makers,” Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed in a telephone interview with Al-Arabiya on Wednesday.

Abu Zeid also noted that the ceasefire remains out of reach due to the UN Security Council's inability to explicitly call for a ceasefire and the absence of a clear and unified international stance.

“The positions of the United States and some European countries are still ambiguous regarding the ceasefire, and as long as such situation persists, we are still far from achieving this goal,” added Abu Zeid.