“Nearly Achieving” a truce in its conflict with Israel: Head of Hamas

Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, has claimed that his organization is approaching close to reaching a truce with Israel.
As mentioned in the Telegram thread, Haniyeh said, “We are close to reaching a deal on a truce.” Negotiators have been attempting to liberate some 240 hostages—most of them are Israelis—who were captured during the biggest assault on Israel in recorded history on October 7 in an effort to come to a settlement.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed by Hamas militants during their cross-border raid, the majority of whom were civilians.

Israel retaliated by pledging to eliminate Hamas and guarantee the prisoners’ release. It started a campaign of constant bombardment and invasion of territory.

The Hamas government in Gaza says that about 13,300 people have killed in the fighting, many of them were children.

Serious talks have been held, facilitated by Hamas’s political office in Qatar and Haniyeh’s place of residence.

The agreement to release a portion of the captives in exchange for a brief truce, according to Qatar’s prime minister, was contingent on “minor” practical concerns.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden said he believed a deal to free the hostages was close.

When asked whether there will be a hostage-related solution soon, Biden said, “I think so.”

Biden then crossed his fingers in a request for good fortune.

Two sources participating in the discussions who spoke with a media outlet said that part of a tentative deal is a five-day truce that includes limits on Israeli air actions over southern Gaza and a ground ceasefire.

In return, 50–100 prisoners held by Hamas, another Palestinian group, and Islamic Jihad would be released.

They would include Israeli citizens and inmates from many nations, but no military personnel.

Under the planned accord, some 300 Palestinians, including women and children, would be released from Israeli jails.

The White House said that the negotiations were at the “endgame” stage, but it wouldn’t go more out of fear that it would jeopardize a successful outcome.

Other news: on Monday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that its president had traveled to Qatar to meet with Hamas leader Ishmael “to advance humanitarian issues related to the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza.”