Tiny Steps, Big Distance

Israel and Hamas are close to finalizing a ceasefire deal after 15 months of conflict, with a proposed agreement involving the release of hostages and Palestinian detainees, a temporary halt to the fighting, and steps toward broader negotiations to end the war, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Under the draft deal, Hamas would release 33 hostages, including women, children, injured individuals, and the elderly, in exchange for Israel freeing about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The ceasefire would pause hostilities for six weeks. In this period, displaced Gazans could begin returning home, while additional negotiations would address the remaining hostages and Israeli military withdrawal.

As per the agreement, Palestinian detainees released from long sentences are to agree to live in exile with their families.

The proposed agreement – mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt – comes amid mounting pressure from hostage families in Israel pushing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure their release. The families have taken to the streets for months, fearing prolonged captivity risks their loved ones’ lives.

In the Gaza Strip, widespread displacement and worsening conditions in makeshift camps have fueled calls for a deal, with most of the population, which had numbered 2.2 million pre-war, now experiencing severe hardship, according to the United Nations.

Negotiators have faced a series of hurdles, including disagreements over the presence of Israeli troops in Gaza and the status of buffer zones.

A second phase of talks would address these issues and the remaining hostages 16 days into the ceasefire, NPR added. Mediators said recent breakthroughs have hinged on Hamas’ acceptance of verbal guarantees from the US and allies that Israel will negotiate a permanent truce after the first phase.

The deal would mark a pivotal step toward halting the bloodiest conflict between Israel and Hamas to date while providing much-needed relief to the civilian population.

However, reactions to the ceasefire talks have been mixed.

While outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the progress as a collaborative effort, analysts warned that the agreement could face resistance from hardline factions in Netanyahu’s administration, who emphasize that Hamas must be eradicated entirely. Israeli military officials, however, have said that is not an achievable goal.

Others cautioned that the deal remains fragile and key details are yet to be finalized.

The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas and its allies launched an attack in southern Israel that left about 1,200 people dead and saw around 250 others kidnapped. Israel’s response resulted in a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with more than 46,000 Palestinians killed to date, according to Gazan health officials.