Negotiations for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in Gaza are ongoing, though Israeli media report that Hamas remains unconvinced about a permanent truce.
CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha. This follows two days of talks between Hamas and Israeli delegations in the Qatari capital. Axios, citing an Israeli official, reported that Burns will discuss the status of the indirect negotiations with his Qatari counterpart.
Israeli state television KAN disclosed on December 16 that an Israeli delegation with “limited powers” traveled to Doha to negotiate a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. Hamas issued a statement confirming the potential for an agreement, provided Israel refrains from imposing new conditions. “In light of the serious and positive talks that took place in Doha under the auspices of our Qatari and Egyptian brothers, Hamas confirms that it is possible to reach an agreement on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange if the occupation stops imposing new conditions,” the statement read.
Additional negotiations are occurring in Cairo. Sources close to the talks told Reuters that an agreement might be signed in the coming days. Mohammed al-Hind, deputy head of Hamas’s ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad, also met with Egyptian officials as part of these discussions.
Adam Boehler, recently appointed as the U.S. special envoy for the hostages by President-elect Donald Trump, was in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials. Boehler met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and is expected to travel to Doha today. The Biden administration is reportedly collaborating with Trump’s team to finalize a ceasefire before the presidential inauguration on January 20.
Despite progress, major hurdles remain. White House spokesperson John Kirby expressed cautious optimism in an interview with Fox News, noting, “We have come to this point before, but we have not reached a conclusion.” Israeli sources echoed these sentiments, citing significant unresolved issues. The Walla news website reported, based on three senior Israeli officials, that while progress has been made, major disagreements persist.
Hamas insists any agreement must include a commitment to ending the war and the occupation. Israel, on the other hand, proposes a short-term ceasefire of one to two months in exchange for the release of hostages. Additionally, Hamas has agreed not to participate in Gaza’s post-war administration under certain conditions, though it has not retreated from its primary demand: a permanent end to hostilities and occupation.
