After US President Joe Biden projected optimism that a hostage-for-ceasefire deal in Gaza could be reached by the end of this week, officials from Israel, Hamas and Qatar have distanced themselves from his comments.
While meetings are taking place, there are disagreements over “numbers, ratios and troop movements,” Majed Al-Ansari, a Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday, without elaborating. He is likely referring to the number of hostages released for Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from parts of Gaza.
Earlier this week, CNN reported Hamas had backed off some key demands in the negotiations for a deal and pause in the fighting in Gaza, bringing the negotiating parties closer to an initial agreement that could halt the fighting and see a group of Israeli hostages released, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.
Reuters and Al Jazeera reported that Hamas was reviewing a draft proposal for an initial ceasefire lasting roughly six weeks, during which 40 Israeli hostages would be exchanged for 400 Palestinian prisoners.
The Israeli official confirmed to CNN on Tuesday that the hope was for about 40 hostages to be freed in the initial stage of the deal, and that Israel was insisting that women soldiers were included in the group.
How a truce might look: Teams from the US, Egypt, Israel, and Qatar met in Paris on Friday and in Qatar on Monday.
Those involved in the discussions said an agreement would likely be implemented in multiple phases. Once an initial deal is made it could lead to a truce lasting as long as six weeks, with a group of Israeli hostages released including women, children, the elderly and sick in exchange for a smaller number of Palestinian prisoners than Hamas had initially demanded.
During a truce, negotiations would take place over more sensitive topics such as the release of male Israeli soldiers who are hostages, Palestinian prisoners serving longer sentences, the withdrawal of IDF forces, and bringing a permanent end to the war alongside the so-called “day after” issues.