Israel-Hamas ‘breakthrough’ raises hopes of Gaza ceasefire deal

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US-led mediators have sent the final draft of a ceasefire proposal to Israel and Hamas after achieving a “breakthrough” in talks on an agreement to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.

That brought the warring parties closer to ending the 15-month conflict since at least July, when previous efforts to reach a deal collapsed, people familiar with the matter said.

“The final agreement is now before all parties for approval,” a diplomat familiar with the talks in Doha said, adding that a “detente” had been achieved around midnight on Monday. “The next 24 hours will be pivotal to reaching the agreement.”

This came after a wave of diplomacy involving US President-elect Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have been struggling for months to reach an agreement to end the conflict and secure the release of about 100 hostages held by Hamas in the besieged Strip, more than a third of whom are believed to be no longer alive.

But the talks gained momentum after the election of Trump, who has repeatedly demanded the release of all hostages before his inauguration on January 20. He warned that if this did not happen there would be a “heavy price to pay.”

“We are 98 percent close,” said a person familiar with the recent talks.

The mediators had previously expressed hopes that they would be close to reaching an agreement, but they were dashed by the refusal of Israel and Hamas to make the necessary concessions to push towards an agreement across the line.

But US President Joe Biden said on Monday that “we are on the verge” of a ceasefire in the hostage deal “that is finally bearing fruit.”

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said it was “a pivotal point in the negotiations,” adding: “We are close to reaching an agreement and it can be accomplished this week.”

The mediators must now wait for responses from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leadership of Hamas.

In a statement, senior Hamas officials said that they stressed the Palestinian armed group’s keenness to “reach an agreement to stop the war on Gaza” during discussions with a senior Turkish official.

Another person familiar with the talks said that Israel is waiting for the Hamas leadership to approve the latest proposal before the two parties “go to final negotiations.”

The source added that the shift in Netanyahu’s position is due to the fact that ending the war has become a priority for Trump, saying, “The only difference is Trump.” Netanyahu wants to ally with Trump and reach an agreement.

The mediators are seeking to broker a multi-stage agreement to end the conflict that erupted after Hamas militants swept through southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostage, according to Israeli officials.

A violent Israeli retaliatory attack on Gaza has killed more than 46,000 people and turned much of the besieged enclave into a barren wasteland, Palestinian officials said.

The differences between the two sides included the location of the redeployment of Israeli forces, the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip, and the number of Palestinian prisoners who will be released in exchange for the release of the hostages and their categories.

Israel also called on Hamas to identify the hostages who are still alive.

Hamas insists that any agreement ends with a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.

The latest talks were based on the multi-stage proposal, which would lead to an initial truce lasting six to eight weeks, during which about 34 hostages would be released, including women, the elderly and the wounded.

In return, several hundred Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli prisons.

Netanyahu is expected to face resistance from his far-right allies in his ruling coalition who oppose stopping the war and releasing Palestinians convicted of terrorist crimes. Analysts expect the Prime Minister to obtain the votes to approve the deal.

Far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich previously threatened to topple Netanyahu’s government if an agreement was reached.

Their opposition is believed to have been crucial in thwarting previous rounds of talks, according to people familiar with the matter.

Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, said on Monday that the impending agreement represents a “disaster” and “surrender.”

He urged Israel to “invade and cleanse the entire Strip” and “open the gates of hell on Gaza” until Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages.

Netanyahu met with both Ben Gvir and Smotrich on Sunday in an attempt to persuade them not to leave the government due to the ceasefire agreement.