The 15-month-long war in Gaza might finally be coming to an end as mediator Qatar gave Israel and Hamas the final draft of a truce deal on Monday after a midnight breakthrough occurred in talks attended by Donald Trump.
Qatar says that it is hopeful that both parties will soon agree upon the Gaza ceasefire and hostages release deal. Both parties are beginning the final stage of their indirect talks.
Meeting in Doha
US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming envoy Steve Witkoff and Biden envoy Vrett McFurk both attended the talks hosted by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Ali Thani. On the other hand, David Barnea, director of spy service Mossad, and Ronen Bar, director of the Shin Bet internal security agency, represented Israel.
In the meeting, Qatari mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a text for a ceasefire and release of hostage agreement. This draft mainly consisted of pointers on troop withdrawal, hostage return, increased aid and the future governance of Gaza.
Palestinians Dare to Hope
Palestinians have finally expressed some hope after a long time as the ceasefire is probably closer than ever.
“I can’t believe that I am still alive to witness this moment,” shared 17-year-old Sanabel in a voice note to BBC. “We’ve been waiting for this with bated breath since the first month of [last] year.”
However, hope isn’t just seen on this side of the border. Israelis, who have family members as hostages are also hoping that they will finally meet them once the agreement is signed.
No Word of the Outcome Yet
A senior Hamas official told Reuters late on Tuesday that after eight hours of talks, there is no outcome. The Palestinian group has not delivered its response because it was still waiting for Israel to submit maps showing how its forces would withdraw from Gaza.
An Israeli official said that talks had reached a critical phase, although they need to work on some details. “We are close, we are not there yet.”
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What the Future Holds
If successful, this phased ceasefire could halt the fighting that decimated Gaza, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and made most of the population homeless. It will put an end to the dozens that are being killed today.
Following the deal, women and children hostages will be released first and humanitarian assistance will be allowed into Palestine.
Despite the efforts made for a ceasefire, Israel continues to strike Gaza. In a recent attack, it killed at least 15 people on Tuesday in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, medics reported. Only time will tell what the future holds for both Palestinians and Israelis.
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