Final Draft: Ceasefire Agreement in Gaza
January 13, 2025, 11:54 am

Final Draft: Ceasefire Agreement in Gaza

غزة

Negotiations for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel have seen significant developments in recent hours, indicating a major breakthrough in the relationship between the two sides.

According to a source familiar with the talks, Qatar, which is playing a mediating role, has presented a "final" draft of the agreement that includes a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in order to obtain approval from both parties. The source explained that this breakthrough came after intensive discussions held in Doha past midnight, as reported by Reuters.

During those negotiations, Israeli intelligence leaders met with Steve Wittkoff, the special envoy for the elected U.S. President Donald Trump to the Middle East, in addition to the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani. The official confirmed that the Qatari Prime Minister met with representatives from Hamas, while discussions with the Israeli delegation were conducted by Wittkoff to encourage both sides to reach an agreement.

Sources from Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath reported that the draft details include two phases, each lasting 42 days. However, there are still outstanding issues, such as Israel's insistence on creating a buffer zone in the north and east of the Gaza Strip extending two kilometers deep.

In a related context, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich opposed the deal and expressed his dissatisfaction in a tweet on his X account, emphasizing that he "will oppose any agreement that could lead to a stop to the war and diminish achievements." He described the draft as "catastrophic for Israeli national security" and considered it a "capitulation deal" that includes the release of hundreds of criminals.

It is noteworthy that a high-level Israeli delegation, including the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, and the head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, has arrived in Qatar to continue the negotiations.

Trump's aides also indicated during previous discussions with senior Israeli officials that the U.S. President is interested in achieving calm in the region to direct focus toward domestic issues, pointing out that "Trump has no desire to deal with another conflict at the beginning of his term."

It should be noted that about 100 Israelis remain held in the devastated Palestinian enclave since October 7, 2023, while some Israeli estimates suggest that half of them may have perished. In contrast, there are still thousands of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, some of whom are serving life sentences.

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