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Hamas Agrees to Prisoner Exchange List in Exchange for Israeli Withdrawal
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US and Arab Mediation Gains Momentum Amid Accelerating Efforts to Reach Agreement Before Elected President Trump Takes Office
US and Arab efforts continue to crystallize a Gaza ceasefire agreement, amid positive developments in negotiations.
A senior Hamas leader told Reuters today Sunday that his movement agreed to an Israeli proposal to exchange 34 prisoners, conditioning the agreement on Israeli forces' withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent cessation of fire.
Israeli negotiation delegation representatives reported finding solutions for all pending points in the Gaza deal, awaiting a political decision, clarifying that the proposal extends for two to three months.
Israeli sources indicated the proposal includes granting immunity to Hamas leadership inside and outside the territory in exchange for leaving the sector, and transferring authority to an independent Palestinian body with Arab and international coordination.
Sources pointed to the possibility of deploying international forces in the sector similar to UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, with the United States overseeing the agreement's implementation.
Israel sent its negotiators to Doha on Friday to resume talks through Qatari and Egyptian mediation, while the Biden administration urges Hamas to accept the agreement.
Fieldwise, Palestinian medics confirmed 9 people killed in two separate attacks in Gaza today, raising the casualties since the beginning of the week to 97 people.
The Gaza Health Ministry announced 88 Palestinians killed and over two hundred others injured during the past 24 hours due to Israeli strikes.
The Israeli army stated in a statement that its forces targeted over 100 locations in Gaza, confirming the elimination of dozens of militants and destruction of rocket launch platforms used in recent attacks on Israel.
Levant-Agencies
