No hostage deal before Trump inauguration – report

Arab mediators brokering talks between Israel and Hamas say that negotiations are now deadlocked, with no breakthrough likely before Trump takes office.

By World Israel News Staff

Hostage deal and ceasefire talks between Israel and the Hamas terror organization are deadlocked, Arab mediators say, after weeks of optimistic reports and claims that a breakthrough could be reached while President Joe Biden is still in office.

On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal published a report that cited multiple Arab officials involved in brokering talks in Doha, Qatar, between Israel and Hamas.

The mediators said that despite optimistic projections last month of an impending breakthrough, it now appears that a deal securing the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will not be reached before Biden leaves office.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated on January 20th, and he has repeatedly warned that Hamas will face consequences should it fail to release the remaining hostages by the time he takes office.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warning, saying: “I’ll put it this way: they better let the hostages come back soon.”

According to the Journal report, Hamas has withdrawn its offer to negotiate a temporary truce and resumed its demand that the hostage deal include a permanent ceasefire ending the war with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly remained firm in his opposition to such an arrangement and last week was quoted by multiple Hebrew media outlets as telling Israel’s negotiating team that the IDF will resume fighting in Gaza after any potential ceasefire, adding that Israel should be open about its intentions to continue the war.

Israel’s delegation returned from talks in Doha late last month for consultations in Israel after Hamas walked back its willingness to compromise on key issues, including its demand that the IDF withdraw from the entire Gaza Strip in the third and final stage of a ceasefire.

Talks have concentrated on a possible two-month truce, split into three stages, with some 30-34 hostages to be released during the initial phase in exchange for the freeing of hundreds of jailed Palestinian terrorists.