Israel and Hamas appear to be inching closer to a phased ceasefire agreement, officials said Monday. However, a deal hasn’t been reached yet and there are a number of obstacles that could still scupper the talks in Qatar.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian group Hamas stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.
The Israel Hamas-war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities.
Some Israeli soldiers have refused to keep fighting and are speaking out against the 15-month conflict, saying they saw or did things that crossed ethical lines – including the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was important to include President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, in the latest round of talks because if a ceasefire can be reached, it will be up to the Trump team in part to ensure it survives beyond Inauguration Day.
“I think Steve Witkoff has been a terrific partner in this, and also President-elect Trump in making clear that he wants to see this deal go forward, and go forward before January 20th,” Blinken said in an interview with MSNBC.
“Everyone wants to know – and it’s very useful as well to have Steve a part of this – they want to make sure that the deal that the president’s put on the table and that we’ve negotiated, the Trump administration will continue to back,” Blinken said. “So creating that confidence by having Steve Witkoff’s participation, I think, has been critical.”
Under the terms of the agreement being discussed, the US is one of several guarantors and will have a key role in making sure that its first phase – which would see a halt in hostilities and the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel – is followed by the successful implementation of its second phase, which aims to prepare for Gaza’s post-conflict future, including security, reconstruction and governance.
Associated Press
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