Hamas confirms breakthrough in hostage talks

‘Freedom is near’ for our prisoners, Hamas says, amid reports of impending hostage deal and ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization on Monday confirmed reports of a major breakthrough in hostage deal talks in Doha, Qatar, and claims of an impending ceasefire deal with Israel.

Overnight, President-elect Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, conducted multiple rounds of talks with officials in Doha, including members of the Israeli delegation and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Reuters reported.

Following the talks, Arab mediators reportedly issued a final draft of a proposed ceasefire and hostage deal to the Israeli and Hamas teams after brokering agreements on the hostage releases, the pacing of the three-phase ceasefire, the dimensions of an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the approximate number of jailed Palestinian terrorists to be released.

Multiple outlets, including the The Associated Press, The Jerusalem Post, and Israel’s Channel 12 and Channel 13, all reported that mediators were waiting for Hamas to respond to the latest draft of the proposed agreement.

In a statement released Monday afternoon, Hamas confirmed that progress had been made overnight and appeared to signal its approval of the deal without overtly accepting it.

“We renew our pledge with our steadfast and patient people and with our heroic prisoners in the prisons, and we affirm that their freedom is near,” Hamas said.

Under the proposed agreement, Hamas will free 33-34 Israeli hostages during the first phase of a ceasefire, which is set to last for 45 days.

During this period, Israel will release approximately 1,100-1,200 jailed Palestinian terrorists, including 150-200 serving life sentences and 48 who were previously jailed, freed during the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal, and then rearrested for additional offenses.

In addition, during the first phase of the ceasefire, some 90 female terrorists would be released, along with 350 jailed terrorists under the age of 19, and 560 elderly or ill terrorists.