Israeli Defence Minister Announces Progress Towards Ceasefire-Hostage Agreement with Hamas
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Jerusalem, December 16 (NationPress) - Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on Monday that Israel and Hamas are "closer than ever" to achieving a ceasefire-for-hostage agreement, according to reports from Israel's state-owned Kan TV News.
During a confidential session of the Israeli parliament's Security Committee, Katz remarked, "We are the closest we've been to a hostage deal since the previous one," alluding to an arrangement made in November-December 2023 that resulted in the release of 81 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a temporary ceasefire and the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Katz noted that the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip located along the border between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, and the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza into northern and southern regions, "will not hinder the implementation of the deal."
He further stated, "There will be an overwhelming majority in the Cabinet and government for a hostage release deal." Nonetheless, prominent members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition have previously expressed their disapproval of any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, even as part of a deal—a primary demand from Hamas.
Negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have generated several proposals over the past year. However, Netanyahu's insistence on maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, along with repeated Israeli refusals to end the conflict entirely, has impeded progress.
The current proposal under consideration entails multiple stages, Katz mentioned, but did not divulge further specifics, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
Earlier on Monday, a senior Hamas official informed the Saudi channel Asharq News that the two opposing sides are "closer than ever" to reaching an agreement. The official asserted that Hamas and other factions had demonstrated "great flexibility" in agreeing to a phased cessation of hostilities and a withdrawal based on a mutually agreed timeline. He called on the US administration to exert pressure on Netanyahu to finalize the deal.
