We may have reached a turning point. After 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas, moderated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, may have reached a three-stage agreement, addressed one at a time, for a cease-fire and the release of hostages.
According to CBS, both sides appear to have approved a draft “in principle” and are preparing their official statements respectively. What is missing, however, is a vote by the Israeli government and confirmation from President Benjamin Netanyahu.
On the agreement, CBS reports that the first phase covers a 42-day ceasefire period, during which humanitarian aid will be allowed into the Gaza Strip, Hamas will release 33 women and children in addition to all Israeli hostages over the age of 50, and Israel will release 30 Palestinian women and children. The second phase would see the release of all male Israelis and the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Gaza. Finally, in the third phase, the bodies of hostages and prisoners would be exchanged and reconstruction of infrastructure in the Strip would begin.
In recent days, the White House had made public news of a call between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the agreement proposed by the U.S. president last May for an “immediate and comprehensive” ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. This premise had left hope that Israel and Hamas could reach an agreement before Donald Trump’s official inauguration in Washington. The hypothesis was also confirmed by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, also in Doha for the negotiations. “It’s possible that we can get there before January 20, but I can’t guarantee it.”
According to U.S. sources interviewed by CBS, the ceasefire could be activated right from next weekend, starting under Biden and leaving oversight to his successor Trump. Brett McGurk, the Democratic adviser on the Middle East, has been following all the negotiations in Doha from the beginning by coordinating with Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for the region chosen by the president-elect. Last weekend, Witkoff traveled to Israel to meet with Netanyahu.
