Hamas and two other Palestinian factions, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), announced on Saturday that a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip is “closer than ever” after more than a year of war with Israel.
The three factions stated in a rare joint statement after meeting in Cairo on Friday evening that “the possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange) is closer than ever if the enemy stops imposing new conditions.” They emphasized “each party’s commitment to ending the war” in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.
Indirect negotiations last week in Qatar between Israel and Hamas, with Doha and Egypt as mediators, have revived hope for an agreement on a truce and the release of hostages in Gaza. A Hamas official told AFP on Saturday that the talks had made “significant and important progress” in recent days.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that “most points regarding the ceasefire and prisoner exchange have been agreed upon,” adding that “other points remain to be discussed, but they do not undermine the process.” He affirmed that “the agreement could be finalized before the end of the year if (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu does not impose new conditions,” explaining that any potential agreement would be implemented gradually.
Despite intensive diplomatic efforts, no truce has been reached between Israel and Hamas since the week-long ceasefire in late November 2023. Until now, the main sticking point in negotiations has been whether the ceasefire would be permanent or not.
The October 7, 2023 attack resulted in the death of 1,208 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. The attack also led to the abduction of 251 people on Israeli territory, 96 of whom remain hostages in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the army.
In response, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli retaliatory military campaign in Palestinian territories, mostly civilians, according to data from the Health Ministry of the Hamas government in Gaza, which the UN considers reliable.