Israel and Hamas appeared close to a deal, to temporarily halt their
devastating six-week war for dozens of hostages being held in the Gaza Strip to
be freed in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli prisons, on Tuesday.
But as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his Cabinet for
a vote, he vowed to resume the Israeli offensive against Hamas as soon as the
truce ends.
“We are at war, and we will continue the war,” he said. “We will continue
until we achieve all our goals.”
The Israeli Cabinet was expected to vote on a plan that would halt Israel’s
offensive in Gaza for several days in exchange for the release of about 50 of
the 240 hostages held by Hamas.
Israel has vowed to continue the war until it destroys Hamas’ military
capabilities and returns all hostages. The Cabinet meeting continued into the
early hours of Wednesday.
Hamas predicted on Tuesday that a Qatari-mediated deal could be reached
in “the coming hours.”
Netanyahu acknowledged that the Cabinet faced a tough decision, but
supporting the cease-fire was the right thing to do. Netanyahu appeared to have
enough support to pass the measure, despite opposition from some hard-line
ministers.
He said during the lull, intelligence efforts will be maintained,
allowing the army to prepare for the next stages of battle. He said the battle
would continue until “Gaza will not threaten Israel.”
The announcement came as Israeli troops battled Palestinian militants in
an urban refugee camp in northern Gaza and around hospitals overcrowded with
patients and sheltering families.
Details of the expected cease-fire deal were not released. Israeli media
reported that an agreement would include a five-day halt in Israel’s offensive
in Gaza and the release of 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for some 150
Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israel’s Channel 12 TV said the first releases would take place Thursday
or Friday and continue for several days.
Talks have repeatedly stalled. But even if a deal is reached, it would
not mean an end to the war, which erupted on Oct. 7 after Hamas militants
stormed across the border into southern Israel and killed at least 1,200
people, most of them civilians, and kidnapped some 240 others.
Talks On Hostages
Israel, United States and Qatar, which mediates with Hamas, have
negotiated for weeks over a hostage release that would be paired with a
temporary cease-fire and the entry of more aid.
In Washington, President Joe Biden said Tuesday that a deal on releasing
some hostages was “very close.”
“We could bring some of these hostages home very soon,” he said at the
White House.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari expressed optimism,
telling reporters that “we are at the closest point we ever had been in
reaching an agreement.”
He added that negotiations were at a “critical and final stage.”
AP
