Intensive negotiations are underway to secure a second extension of the truce in the war between Israel and Hamas, as the agreed pause in fighting nears its expiration.
Negotiations continued Wednesday on the conditions for extending the truce as it ended Thursday morning. The discussions, involving both sides as well as the United States, Qatar and Egypt, focused on the duration of the extension and exchange of captives.
The initial four-day truce began Friday after intense mediation. Despite some minor clashes, she was then sent back for two more days.
Meanwhile, Hamas has released 81 of the captives, mostly Israeli nationals, that it took hostage on October 7.
In exchange, Israel released a total of 180 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, many of whom had been held in administrative detention for years without charge. At the same time, Israel arrested almost as many Palestinians during prisoner releases.
The Israel Broadcasting Corporation reported that Israel was considering another extension.
“It depends on the conduct of Hamas,” an Israeli politician was quoted as saying, adding that negotiations for a new deal would soon be discussed at the political level.
Israel had previously said it was ready to extend the truce by one day for 10 hostages released by Hamas.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas politburo, told Tel Aviv Tribune: “We are working hard and we hope to be able to extend the ceasefire for several days, until we reach its complete end. We are ready to release more hostages for the extension. »
“I hope this can be implemented today,” he added.
Negotiations on the extension continued over the past two days.
On Tuesday, the heads of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad met in Qatar to discuss these issues.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said negotiators were seeking “a lasting truce that would lead to further negotiations and, eventually, an end… to this war.”
Five categories
On Wednesday, from occupied East Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Tribune’s Imran Khan said there were “leaks that negotiations are underway between Israel and Hamas to release additional prisoners and extend the ceasefire.” of five days.
If successful, the next phase of the truce and hostage release would be based on five categories, our correspondent said: “Israeli captives; elderly men who are too old to be reservists; female soldiers; reserve soldiers; then the bodies of Israelis killed before or during captivity.
“There also seem to be positive noises coming from Hamas on this subject. Hamas, according to leaked categories, has said that it is very keen to respect what the Israelis want,” Khan added.
Hamad confirmed that the group was ready to discuss the release of captured men and soldiers, as well as women and children.
“This point is now on the table,” the Hamas official told Tel Aviv Tribune. “For all captives, whether military or civilian. We always discuss this with the mediators in order to reach a satisfactory compromise.”
Analyst Mohammed Cherkaoui said the negotiations have now entered a “pragmatic” phase involving various mediators and stakeholders.
“The good news is that we still have good momentum and all channels are open and political will is flourishing on all sides to continue on this path,” he told Tel Aviv Tribune.
Khan said Hamas was seeking “a more permanent ceasefire.” But in Israel, there is a lot of pressure from the right who do not want the truce to last indefinitely.
“There’s a Sunday deadline that we keep talking about. After Sunday – if the ceasefire lasts that long – the Israelis will want to return. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when,” Khan said.
However, Hamad suggested that international pressure has increased on Israel to force it to maintain the truce, adding that Hamas is ready to discuss a full ceasefire and the release of all prisoners from both sides.
“I think the world is fed up with the situation in Gaza,” he said. “Because of Israeli crimes, the Israeli genocide against our people, there is strong and enormous pressure on Israel to end the war. »