Qatari intermediaries conveyed to Israel that Hamas has tentatively agreed to restart negotiations for a new agreement, aiming to secure the release of over 40 hostages held in Gaza. This potential deal would involve a cessation of hostilities for up to a month. Israeli officials approach the message cautiously, hoping for further clarification over the weekend to assess Hamas’s sincerity. Hamas has previously insisted on Israel ending the conflict and withdrawing its forces from Gaza before engaging in substantive discussions about a new hostage agreement.
According to an Israeli official, while the Qatari message is in its early stages, it signals a positive development, marking the first indication of Hamas’s willingness to return to negotiations since the previous deal concluded. Another official stated that Israel is awaiting a detailed proposal and emphasized that significant gaps still exist. Qatari intermediaries conveyed
As of now, neither a Qatari representative nor the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has responded to requests for comments. A Hamas delegation was expected in Egypt for talks on ending the conflict. Hamas official Osama Hamdan stated that Hamas communicated to Qatari and Egyptian mediators its priority to permanently halt aggression against Gaza, accusing Israel of spreading false information to deflect domestic pressure.
Earlier this month, Israel proposed a one-week pause in the Gaza conflict in exchange for Hamas releasing over three dozen hostages, potentially including the release of more Palestinians from Israeli prisons. Key intelligence figures and the Qatari prime minister discussed this proposal in December. Egypt recently proposed a three-phase deal involving the release of all hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons, culminating in the establishment of a technocratic government in Gaza without ties to Hamas.
Israel has pledged to remain in Gaza until Hamas is dismantled and has expanded its operations in the region in recent days. Currently, Hamas and other militant groups continue to hold approximately 130 hostages abducted during the October 7 terrorist attack. Hamas released over 100 hostages in November during a seven-day pause in fighting.