New Delhi:
Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved ceasefire with Hamas. Now it will go to the full cabinet, where it will have to be passed after discussion, only after that the ceasefire will be implemented. Israel and Hamas have been in talks for a long time regarding a ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza.
According to media reports, mediators have prepared the final draft of the agreement between Israel and Hamas.
If this ceasefire deal is finally successful, then the round of negotiations that lasted for more than a year will end. This would be the largest release of Israeli hostages since the early days of the conflict, when Hamas released about half of the hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.
The January 20 inauguration of US President Donald Trump is now widely seen as the real deadline for a ceasefire agreement. The newly elected President had said that if Hamas did not free the hostages before he took office, he would ‘have to pay a very high price’.
Referring to his foreign policy achievements, Biden had said, “This agreement… will free the hostages, stop the fighting, provide security to Israel and allow increased humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, who have suffered greatly in the war.” “We have endured suffering that was started by Hamas.”
Media reports quoted an official with knowledge of the talks as saying that Qatar had presented the document of ceasefire and release of hostages to both the sides during the talks in Doha. Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said, “Both sides are very close to finalizing this deal.”
Hamas said it was eager to reach an agreement to end the fighting. An Israeli official said that negotiations for the release of 33 hostages under the deal are in the final stages. There are still 98 hostages in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said, “Progress has been made, I want to thank our American friends for the huge efforts being made to secure the hostage deal.”
A Hamas official said, “There has been progress in talks on some key issues and we are working to soon complete the remaining issues.”
According to Israeli figures, 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 250 taken hostage in an attack by Hamas fighters in October 2023. After this the Jewish nation started military operations in Gaza.
According to Palestinian health officials, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then. Much of the enclave has been ruined and most of the population displaced.
The warring parties have agreed for months on the principle that fighting would stop in exchange for the release of Palestinian hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian detainees held by Israel, but Hamas has always insisted that the agreement would bring a permanent end to the war. There must be Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, while the Jewish State has said that it will not end the war until Hamas is eliminated.
