Gaza ceasefire talks are nearing completion, according to a senior Palestinian official. The discussions in Doha include the potential creation of a buffer zone along Israel’s border with Gaza, where Israel would retain a military presence. A three-stage ceasefire could be agreed within days if key issues such as the Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi corridor and prisoner releases are resolved.
The deal would involve exchanging 20 Palestinian prisoners for every female soldier released in the first stage of the ceasefire. The names of the prisoners have yet to be agreed, but would come from around 400 prisoners serving sentences of 25 years or more. Israeli hostages, believed to be located by Hamas, would be released in stages.
Aid would flow into Gaza with around 500 trucks per day under Egyptian and Qatari oversight, allowing Gazan civilians to return to the north. In the final stage, a committee of technocrats from Gaza would oversee the enclave, backed by all Palestinian factions. The US, Qatar, and Egypt have resumed mediation efforts, with both sides showing greater willingness to conclude a deal.
However, a recent round of talks in October failed to produce an agreement due to Hamas’s rejection of a short-term ceasefire proposal. Despite this, negotiations remain closer than ever before, according to Hamas, as long as Israel stops imposing new conditions.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgq1l5kv2npo