Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Release Talks: What You Need to Know

High-level ceasefire talks appeared to gain momentum on Monday as Arab and American mediators pressed for an agreement to end fighting in Gaza and release hostages held by Hamas before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.

It was still unclear whether the sides had reached a resolution on central disputes that had proved intractable in earlier rounds of talks, but officials briefed on the talks expressed cautious optimism in recent days about the likelihood of a deal.

Months of repeated rounds of talks have seen hopes rise only days later to fizzle out, with both Israel and Hamas blaming the other for the impasse.

If a deal is reached, it will provide some respite for Palestinians in Gaza, who are suffering in refugee camps and under relentless Israeli bombardment, and for the families of hostages taken from Israel, who have been wondering about their fate for months. my loved ones

Who are the players?

• The main mediators in the negotiations are Qatar and Egypt, they send messages between Israel and Hamas. The Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, and the Director of the General Intelligence Service of Egypt, Major General Hassan Rashad, were high-ranking officials representing their countries in the negotiations.

• David Barnea, the head of Israel’s foreign intelligence service, Mossad, is one of Israel’s main negotiators, along with Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, the internal security service, and Major General Nitzan Alon of the Israeli army. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s foreign policy advisor Ophir Falk also participated in important meetings related to the negotiations.

• Khalil al-Haya, a senior Hamas official based in Doha, is the militant group’s chief negotiator and has spoken with Qatari and Egyptian officials about the details of a possible deal.

• The United States used its leverage to encourage Israel and Hamas to sign the agreement. CIA Director Bill Burns and senior White House official Brett McGurk toured the Middle East to push for progress in the talks. Mr. Trump’s Middle East representative Steve Witkoff also visited Qatar and Israel, where he met with senior officials.

What are they negotiating?

Israeli officials hope to secure the release of at least some of the 100 or so hostages held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in southern Israel.

Hamas leaders want an end to the war in Gaza, which has severely weakened the group’s armed wing and government, displaced nearly two million people and left cities in ruins. Hamas officials have also said they want a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the return of displaced people from the south of the enclave to the north, and the entry of materials for reconstruction.

What are the biggest obstacles?

• The main obstacle to the success of the negotiations was the persistence of the ceasefire. While Hamas has called for a full cessation of hostilities, Mr Netanyahu has said he wants a “partial” deal that would allow Israel to resume fighting after it releases hostages.

• Israel wants vague language in the text of the agreement that leaves room for renewed fighting at some point. according to a Palestinian and two Israeli officials familiar with the matter. If Mr Netanyahu agrees to a deal to end the war in Gaza, analysts say, he fears his right-wing coalition partners will topple his government and jeopardize his political future.

• Hamas has not offered to compromise on its demand to end the war. Last week, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told a meeting in Algiers that “the aggression must stop.”