Possible breakthrough made in Gaza ceasefire deal: Reports
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The ceasefire talks in Gaza might be heading somewhere as intel suggests that the Israeli occupation agrees to proposals made by the Palestinian Resistance.
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Israeli soldiers drive a tank near the Gaza strip, in southern occupied Palestine, June 5, 2024 (AP)
The Mossad announced that mediators Qatar and Egypt have conveyed Hamas' updated response to the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal to the Israeli negotiation team, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported Wednesday adding that "Israel" was currently examining the response and would provide its answer to the mediators soon.
A senior Israeli official stated that the response from Hamas was constructive and could potentially pave the way for detailed negotiations on the remaining issues, Ravid added.
According to the Israeli journalist citing the official, although there has been important progress, significant challenges remain. He further noted that any detailed negotiations would be tough and lengthy, potentially taking several weeks to reach an agreement.
The Israeli negotiation team is expected to hold discussions over the next few days with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant to formulate a policy regarding Hamas' response and said the policy might see the Israelis heading to Qatar or Egypt to enter more detailed discussions.
The Israeli official highlighted that Hamas' updated response addresses key issues central to the dispute and the lack of a deal thus far.
Despite the progress, the official, according to Ravid, cautioned that there is still a substantial way to go before a final agreement can be reached.
Moreover, Ravid underlined that in the second phase of the deal, outlined and agreed to by Netanyahu and backed by US President Joe Biden, the Israeli occupation forces will be withdrawing from Gaza entirely, including from the Philadelphi axis.
Qatar suggested new ceasefire proposal: NYT
Qatar sent Tuesday new potential amendments to Hamas regarding the proposed hostage deal, according to senior officials from different countries involved in the negotiations, the New York Times reported.
Despite these efforts, major obstacles remain: Hamas demands an end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, while the Israeli occupation has pledged to continue fighting until Hamas is destroyed and seeks to control security in Gaza post-war.
The senior officials indicated that the disagreements are now centered on two key points. Hamas wants the initial phase of talks to focus exclusively on the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for each remaining hostage. In contrast, the Israeli occupation prefers to keep the discussions open-ended, allowing additional issues to be included, according to the officials.
Hamas fears that the Israeli occupation might sabotage the negotiations by broadening them to cover practically insoluble issues, thereby allowing the Netanyahu regime to continue the war, NYT added. According to the senior officials, the latest Qatari proposal offers Hamas three potential alternatives for the talks.
The senior officials added that Hamas wants language that would prevent the Israeli occupation from unilaterally declaring the collapse of negotiations and resuming hostilities.
Biden admin revising ceasefire deal
The Biden administration has recently proposed revised language for parts of the potential ceasefire agreement between "Israel" and Hamas, according to sources cited in an Axios report.
The report claimed that Hamas had previously rejected the US proposal for a ceasefire. However, it has been repeatedly shown that Netanyahu has no interest in pursuing such a deal, instead opting to achieve his "war objectives" while he suggested a "partial" agreement last week.
The Biden administration's revised proposal, originally based on an Israeli plan approved by "Israel's" war cabinet and endorsed by US President Joe Biden, seeks to maintain its three-phase approach.
Recently, Netanyahu suggested shifting toward a "partial deal" with Hamas, hoping to free some Israeli captives held in the Strip while continuing Tel Aviv's genocidal war.
According to the Axios report, the current focus of US efforts pertains to Article 8 of the ceasefire proposal, which pertains to negotiations between "Israel" and Hamas during the first stage of the deal, which set the conditions for the subsequent stage, including achieving sustainable calm in Gaza.
Hamas wants these negotiations to concentrate on the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli captives, while "Israel" seeks to address broader issues, such as the demilitarization of Gaza.
US officials have drafted new language for Article 8 to reconcile these differing priorities, and are encouraging Qatar and Egypt to persuade Hamas to accept the revised terms.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
