Gaza ceasefire deal being finalised, Palestinian official tells BBC

A Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations revealed to the BBC that the terms of an agreement between Israel and Hamas regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages are being finalized. Simultaneously, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that an agreement is "close" and that his administration is urgently working on it.

An Israeli official also told Reuters that negotiations have entered the "final stages" and that an agreement could be reached in "hours, days, or longer." U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and then with Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, the latter of whom is mediating the talks.

The Palestinian official told the BBC that Hamas and Israeli officials held indirect talks within the same building on Monday. The official disclosed some potential details of the agreement, stating that "detailed technical discussions took a considerable amount of time." The two sides agreed that Hamas would release three hostages on the first day of the agreement taking effect, after which Israel would begin withdrawing from densely populated areas.

Seven days later, Hamas would release another four hostages, and Israel would allow displaced people from the south to return to the north, but only by foot along the coastal road. Cars, animal-drawn vehicles, and trucks would be allowed through a crossing near the Salah al-Din road, which would be monitored by X-ray machines operated by a Qatari-Egyptian technical security team. The agreement also includes provisions for Israeli forces to remain in the Philadelphi Corridor during the first phase (lasting 42 days) and maintain an 800-meter buffer zone on the eastern and northern borders.

Israel also agreed to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including approximately 190 who have been sentenced to 15 years or more. In exchange, Hamas would release 34 hostages. Negotiations for the second and third phases of the ceasefire agreement would begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. The father of an Israeli-American hostage told the BBC's News Hour program that he "wants to believe" that Israel has "reached an 'agreement'" on the deal.

Jonathan Decker-Chen said he was "living in fear" every day due to concerns for his son Sagui's safety. As reports of an imminent agreement increased, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that an agreement could be reached "this week"—the final week of President Biden's term. He also added that Biden was scheduled to speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy for President-elect Donald Trump, also attended meetings in Doha.

Trump had previously threatened that "all hell will break loose" if the hostages were not released before he took office on January 20th. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters that progress had been made in the negotiations and that the agreement looked "much better than before." But the latest developments come as Netanyahu is facing strong opposition from within his ruling coalition to a potential deal. Ten right-wing members, including some from Netanyahu's own Likud party, sent him a letter opposing the truce.

While the talks were underway, Gaza's civil defense agency reported that Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City on Monday killed more than 50 people. "They bombed schools, houses, and even places where people gather," civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal told AFP. The Israeli military stated that it is investigating the reports. Separately, the military said that five soldiers were killed in northern Gaza on Monday.

The war was triggered by an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others to Gaza as hostages. Israel subsequently launched a military offensive in Gaza to destroy Hamas. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza states that more than 46,500 people have died during the war. Israel says that 94 hostages remain in Gaza, with 34 presumed dead, in addition to four Israelis kidnapped before the war, two of whom have died.