Photo: WAFA
CAIRO – 21 December 2024: Hamas and two other Palestinian movements have expressed optimism regarding a potential Gaza ceasefire and a prisoner exchange agreement with Israel, the AFP reported on Saturday.
After their discussions in Cairo, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said in a rare joint statement that a deal is closer to fruition than ever before, as long as Israel refrains from imposing additional conditions.
A Hamas leader, who chose to remain anonymous disclosed to AFP today that recent talks had seen significant progress.
"Most aspects concerning the ceasefire and prisoner exchange have been settled," the leader stated.
While a few points remain unresolved, they are not perceived as obstacles to the negotiation process, the Hamas official said.
He highlighted the possibility of finalizing the agreement before the year's end, provided that new conditions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu do not disrupt the proceedings.
An agreement, if reached, will be a phased one, culminating in a substantial prisoner exchange, a lasting ceasefire, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the official said.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States in Doha last week, have reignited hopes for a resolution.
MULTI-PHASED DEAL
According to the AFP, of the 251 captives taken by Hamas during their 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, 96 individuals remain in captivity in Gaza, with 34 reportedly dead, according to the Israeli military.
Last week, Hamas officials disclosed to AFP that an envisioned agreement involves a ceasefire implementation and the phased release of captives.
The initial phase, spanning six weeks, would witness the liberation of Israeli civilian captives and female soldiers in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Concurrently, Israel would withdraw its forces from strategic locations such as the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor, gradually allowing displaced residents to return under Israeli army supervision.
Subsequent phases would entail the release of additional Israeli male soldiers in exchange for Palestinian prisoners with long-term sentences, culminating in the formal declaration of the end of the war and the commencement of reconstruction efforts in a territory ravaged by war.
Moreover, reported plans include joint management of the Rafah crossing by the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority in collaboration with Egypt and the European Union, signifying a potential step towards peace and stability in the region.
The war in Gaza has killed more than 45,200 Palestinians to date and injured nearly more than 107,500 others to date, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
The war has also devastated critical infrastructure and pushed the enclave toward the brink of famine.
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