Senior Israeli politician Aryeh Deri just announced a breakthrough in critical negotiations, confirming that all remaining disputes have been resolved. While the formal announcement is still being drafted, Deri emphasized the historic weight of the moment, noting that Prime Minister Netanyahu faced what he described as one of the most difficult decisions of his political career. He also warned of widespread efforts to topple the current government.
This development came after the breakthrough hostage deal between Israel and Hamas faced fresh obstacles today, as the militant group pushed for the release of high-profile prisoners just days before the anticipated Sunday ceasefire. The development also forced a delay in the Israeli cabinet's crucial vote on the agreement.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer accused Hamas of creating "a last-minute crisis in an effort to extort last-minute concessions."
The latest complication centers on Hamas's eleventh-hour demand for the freedom of what Israeli officials call "symbolic prisoners" - convicted terrorists serving life sentences whose release would represent a significant propaganda victory for the organization. Israeli authorities in Jerusalem have expressed strong resistance to including these prisoners in any exchange.
Sources familiar with the negotiations say the dispute was a major sticking point, despite both sides having previously reached broader agreement on other aspects of the deal.
The BBC reports that Hamas is specifically pressing for the inclusion of two "symbolic prisoners" from its movement in the exchange. These are believed to be high-ranking members serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, though their identities remain undisclosed. Hamas maintains it remains "committed" to the ceasefire despite these new demands.
The impasse extends beyond the prisoner issue, with ongoing disagreements about security arrangements along the strategic Philadelphi Corridor, the buffer zone between Gaza and Egypt.
Aid trucks are already queuing at Gaza's southern crossing in anticipation of the deal, which would allow increased humanitarian assistance from its first phase.
The European Union has responded by announcing a fresh €120m ($131m) aid package for Gaza, bringing their total humanitarian contribution since 2023 to more than €450m. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the situation in Gaza "grim" while expressing hope for the deal's success.
Despite the setback, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby expressed confidence that the agreement will proceed as planned. "We're confident we'll be able to solve last-minute issues and that this ceasefire can take place starting on Sunday," he told NBC News.
The deal's stakes remain extraordinarily high. The October 7 Hamas attack killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza. Hard-line Israeli ministers are now demanding assurances that military operations will resume after the deal's first phase.
The agreement's third stage would involve the crucial task of rebuilding Gaza, though immediate attention focuses on securing the release of hostages and enabling humanitarian aid delivery to the besieged territory.
White House spokesman John Kirby addressed today the crisis in negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding the hostage deal implementation, stating in his remarks that he remains convinced the agreement will still proceed this coming Sunday.
"There are last-minute disagreements, but we're confident we can resolve them – and that the ceasefire can take effect on time," Kirby said in an interview with CBS. "There are some implementation details that still need to be worked out, and we're working very hard with Israel on this, but we're confident we'll get there."
He also addressed reports of Hamas's new last-minute demands delaying the agreement's approval, saying "We're aware of these issues that Prime Minister Netanyahu has raised. We're working with him and his team to smooth out all obstacles. Of course, the agreement must receive the Israeli government's approval, but Prime Minister Netanyahu knows this – and he's working on this process himself."
The final sticking point centered on a select group of high-profile prisoners and their post-release conditions, particularly which ones would face deportation rather than returning to Palestinian territories.
In addition, according to a report in the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the recent crisis stemmed from Netanyahu's desire to include nine wounded hostages in the agreed-upon release list.
The report states that Hamas was willing to agree to this request, but with a significant condition: they demanded the inclusion of high-profile Palestinian prisoners like Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa'adat in the first phase of releases.
Israeli officials indicate that Prime Minister Netanyahu will only convene his cabinet for the crucial vote once these sensitive details are hammered out. The cabinet's approval is the last major hurdle before the deal can be implemented.
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