A senior Hamas source told Reuters on Saturday that Hamas has accepted a US request to start negotiations on freeing Israeli detainees, including men and soldiers, 16 days after the first round of an agreement meant to put an end to the Gaza war.
According to a source who spoke to Reuters under condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, the militant Islamist group has abandoned its demand that Israel first commit to an ongoing truce before signing the accord and would enable negotiations to accomplish that over the six-week first phase.
According to a Palestinian official familiar with the internationally mediated peace process, if Israel accepts the idea, it might result in a framework agreement and put an end to the nine-month-old conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a member of Israel’s negotiating team stated on Friday that there was now a genuine possibility of reaching an agreement. This was a stark contrast to earlier incidents in the nine-month-old Gaza conflict, when Israel declared that the conditions Hamas had imposed were intolerable.
On Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, a request for comment was not immediately answered by a representative for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His administration said on Friday that negotiations will resume the following week, while underscoring the differences that still existed.
Since Hamas stormed southern Israeli communities on October 7, more than 38,000 Palestinians have died in the battle, according to Gaza health officials. Official Israeli numbers indicate that 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken captive.
Also Read:
How Saudi Arabia is Making Use of the Wealth of Renewable Energy Resources at its Disposal
Saudi Scouts Demonstrate their Love of STEM at a Global Jamboree Held in the US
