Israeli and Hamas to enter detailed negotiations to finalize the agreement

Cairo July 04, 2024(QJ) -Israel and Hamas appear to be on the verge of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire agreement and a deal regarding hostages, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Israeli officials believe that Hamas’s final response will enable both sides to enter detailed negotiations to finalize the agreement, the source indicated.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized his negotiators to enter into detailed talks to attempt to mediate a ceasefire and a hostage agreement with Hamas, according to an Israeli official and sources familiar with the negotiations.

Hamas has confirmed that it responded to Israel’s proposal through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt, reiterating its demand for a complete ceasefire.

This decision indicates that Israel and Hamas are entering a new phase of negotiations that could produce a final agreement within weeks if successful. Both Israel and Hamas appeared inclined to de-escalate recent tensions in statements made on Thursday, with those involved in the talks expressing cautious optimism.

For months, Israel and Hamas have engaged in mediated talks focusing on reaching a comprehensive agreement while deliberately avoiding key details—such as the recognition of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for hostages—as they worked to dismantle existing frameworks.

Progress in the negotiations came earlier this week after the United States proposed new language for two key points (8 and 14) that focused on the scope and sequence of the talks to be held during the first phase of the agreement, which would pave the way for the second phase.

Hamas broadly accepted the new language, opening the door for detailed negotiations following Netanyahu’s approval.