New Deal in the Making? – What’s the Latest on the Gaza Ceasefire Talk

January 29, 2024 

CIA Director William J. Burns (R) Mossad chief David Barnea (L), and Qatari PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. (Image: Palestine Chronicle)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Hamas said that the release of detainees is linked to the end of the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal of all occupation forces from the Strip.

The Israeli government is expected to meet on Monday to discuss proposals for a prisoner exchange deal, while the Palestinian movement Hamas has stressed that the release of any detainees must take place within a larger plan to end the Israeli genocide and war in Gaza.

The meeting of the Israeli cabinet comes a day after a quadripartite meeting was held in Paris to discuss a new exchange deal.

The Israel Broadcasting Corporation KAN said earlier that the Paris talks, held with the participation of Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, ended with progress in the talks on the prisoner exchange. It cited an Israeli political source as saying that the conference dealt with the plan to release Israeli prisoners in stages.

New Deal? 

The Israeli source said that the parties discussed a two-month ceasefire which could lead to the release of 100 Israeli prisoners, with priority given to children (if any), women, and the sick. 

In exchange, Israel would release a large number of Palestinian prisoners. An exact number, however, was not specified. 

For its part, the Resistance Movement, Hamas, said that the release of detainees is linked to the end of the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal of all occupation forces from the Strip.

The latest of such statements was made by Sami Abu Zuhri, who serves the role of Hamas’ political bureau abroad. He told Reuters that the “success of the Paris meeting depends on the extent of the occupation’s response to (our demand to) stop the .. aggression on Gaza.”

Israel estimates there are about 136 prisoners in Gaza. They are mostly military men detained by Hamas forces on October 7. 

On the other hand, Israel holds nearly 9,000 Palestinian captives, nearly half of whom were detained since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza.

Four-Month Ceasefire

Citing Egyptian officials, the Wall Street Journal revealed on Sunday that a new offer to Hamas from countries playing the mediating role offers a four-month ceasefire in exchange for the release of all Israeli prisoners.

The newspaper added that the new offer includes a halt to Israeli attacks for 6 weeks as a first stage in order to release Israeli prisoners of children, women, and the elderly who need urgent medical care. In exchange, Israel would release a large number of Palestinian prisoners and increase the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

In its second phase of the deal, Hamas would release captured Israeli soldiers and would also hand over the bodies of Israelis killed in Gaza to Tel Aviv. It is believed that dozens of Israeli soldiers were killed in Israeli bombing of Gaza, or in multiple failed attempts at freeing them by force. 

Guarantees 

According to the Wall Street Journal, the new offer also includes Hamas obtaining international guarantees, including from the United States, that a comprehensive agreement can be reached that would stop attacks on Gaza once and for all.

The New York Times quoted US officials as saying that the prisoner exchange agreement could be concluded within the next two weeks.

Following Qatari and Egyptian mediation, Hamas and Israel reached a week-long temporary humanitarian truce until the first of December, during which prisoners were exchanged and limited humanitarian aid was brought into Gaza.

(PC, AJA)