Israelis attend an event in memory of those killed in the October 7 Massacre and to remember the hostages still held captive by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, October 6, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Foreign sources note that Israel has made significant concessions, including withdrawing a number of troops in the initial ‘humanitarian’ phase of the deal.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
The Qatari-owned news outlet al-Araby al-Jadeed reports that a framework for a hostage release deal has been completed, and Israel has agreed to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor in the final phase.
The mediators are awaiting approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The hostage release deal will include three phases, and Israel will gradually withdraw troops from Gaza beginning in the first phase until it leaves the Philadelphi corridor on the last day of the agreement.
Al Araby notes a “clear shift” in Netanyahu’s position regarding “the process of completing the war after the first stage [of a ceasefire deal].”
Arab media reports that Hamas will soon provide a list of living hostages that it is prepared to release.
Foreign sources note that Israel has made significant concessions, including withdrawing a number of troops in the initial “humanitarian” phase of the deal.
al-Araby al-Jadeed reports that this is the “closest” the two sides have gotten to a hostage release agreement.
The news outlet also reports that Egypt showed “flexibility” in postponing discussions about Israel’s presence in the Philadelphi corridor until later phases of the agreement.
Cairo’s position is that Israel’s presence in the Philadelphi Corridor is a violation of the 1978 peace agreement between the two countries. Still, it is willing to resolve this issue after the first phases of the agreement.
Al Araby posits that one of the reasons for Netanyahu’s shift in policy is US President-elect Donald Trump’s warning that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages aren’t released by his inauguration on January 20th.
Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday after attending hostage deal negotiations in Qatar.
An Israeli official told Reuters that Witkoff was meeting with Netanyahu on Saturday.
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