While Israel awaits the final response of Hamas regarding the emerging hostage deal, intensive discussions were held throughout the night with government members, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team maintaining close contact with the Israeli delegation in Doha.
Those in Doha are Mossad head Dedi Barnea, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon. This is in addition to President Joe Biden's envoy Brett McGurk and incoming President Donald Trump's Steve Whitkoff.
This morning (Wednesday), Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made this statement in a video he posted: "We are at a decisive and fateful moment for the security, the future and the existence of the State of Israel. What stands in front of my eyes is only one thing, and I am dealing with it with the greatest urgency, and that is how to achieve the goals of the war – complete victory, the complete destruction of Hamas militarily and civilianly, and the return of all our hostages," he noted.
He added: "Naturally, and as usual in these moments, I do these things quietly, behind closed doors, in a very matter-of-fact, serious, poignant and in-depth discourse. The only thing that concerns me is how to win, how to destroy Hamas, how to bring all our hostages home, I will not rest and I will not rest until these goals are achieved."
According to a report in the Associated Press, Hamas approved the draft of the hostage deal. This news came shortly after the Saudi channel Al-Hadath reported that an Israeli source told the channel regarding the agreement: "We are at a decisive stage."
The Financial Times quoted another senior Israeli official as saying that the announcement of the agreement is expected to be made in the next 48 hours, and that the first hostages will return at the beginning of next week. "This is the closest point to the agreement we have been in in recent months," he said. "Things are still up in the air, as is the nature of the negotiations, but we are very optimistic."
* Maariv contributed to this article.
0 Comments