Gaza peace deal in ‘decisive and final phase’, Israeli minister says it’s ‘closer than ever’

After months of impasse, there are fresh indications that Israel and Hamas may be nearing a ceasefire agreement for Gaza and a deal on hostage releases by the end of the year.

According to The Guardian report_,_ both sides have expressed optimism in recent days that a deal may be close for a phased release of the surviving hostages in Gaza in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking Palestinian official involved in the indirect talks told the BBC that the discussions were now in a “decisive and final phase.”

On Monday, the Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz told lawmakers that Israel and Hamas were “the closest we’ve been to a hostage deal since the last deal”, which took place in November 2023 and resulted in the release of more than 100 hostages.

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He added that he expected the deal to get widespread support.

“There will be a sweeping majority in the security cabinet and the cabinet for the emerging hostage deal,” he said.

In recent weeks, the US, Qatar, and Egypt have revived their mediation efforts, reporting a greater willingness from both sides in the 14-month conflict to reach a deal.

An Israeli “working-level” delegation is currently in Qatar, amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region.

According to the BBC report, the Palestinian official outlined a three-phase plan under which civilians and female hostages held in Gaza would be released within the first 45 days. This would be followed by Israeli forces withdrawing from city centers, the coastal road, and the strategic land strip along the Egypt-Gaza border.

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The plan also includes a mechanism allowing displaced Gazans to return to the northern part of the territory, BBC quoted the official as saying.

A second stage would see remaining hostages freed and troops withdrawn before the third stage ending the war.

Of the 96 hostages still being held in Gaza, Israel believes that 62 are likely still alive.

The three-phase plan seems to be based on the deal outlined by US President Joe Biden on May 31. However, reports from all sides emphasise that there are still critical details to be worked out, reported BBC.

A round of talks in mid-October failed to produce an agreement, as Hamas rejected a proposal for a short-term ceasefire.

However, the question of Gaza’s postwar governance has remained unresolved.

On Tuesday, Katz said Israel’s forces will maintain “security control” over the devastated Gaza Strip, even after the war is over, with Israeli soldiers able to act with “full freedom of action” over the territory.

“After we defeat Hamas’ military and governmental power in Gaza, Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action, just as it did in Judea and Samaria (an Israeli term for the occupied West Bank),” Katz said in a post on X.

“We will not allow any terrorist organization against Israeli communities and Israeli citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the reality of before October 7th,” he added.

Such comments are likely to be seen as problematic by negotiators trying to bridge gaps with Hamas. However, in Israel, they are considered essential to secure the support of far-right cabinet ministers, who have previously warned against agreeing to what they have called a “reckless” deal in Gaza, reported BBC.

Hamas launched an unprecedented cross-border attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 253 others.

More than 100 hostages have been released through negotiations or Israeli military operations.

On December 7, Palestinian sources reported that Israel halted aircraft and drone surveillance over Gaza for six hours at the request of mediators, allowing Hamas to gather information on the hostages.

Pro-Qatari newspaper al-Araby al-Jadeed later reported that Hamas provided Egyptian intelligence officials with a list of sick and elderly Israeli hostages, as well as those with US citizenship. The list also reportedly included the names of Palestinian prisoners Hamas is demanding as part of a deal.

At the outset of the Gaza war, Israel vowed to dismantle Hamas’s governing and military structures. More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, a figure considered reliable by the UN and other organisations.

The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, with widespread destruction, and amidst ongoing struggles to deliver aid, there is now a crisis of mass hunger.

The victory of Donald Trump in the November US presidential election has given new momentum to diplomatic efforts.

At a news conference on Monday, Trump reiterated his warning that a ceasefire deal should be reached before he takes office, stating that failure to do so would lead to consequences, saying, “it’s not going to be pleasant.”

With inputs from agencies