Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday morning that Hamas is “close” to a truce with Israel. “We are close to reaching an agreement on a ceasefire,” Haniyeh said, adding that the group had relayed a response to mediators in Qatar.

Israel-Hamas warPhoto: John MACDOUGALL / AFP / Profimedia
  • A Hamas official, Izzat al-Reshik, told Al Jazeera that the current talks are for a truce that will last “several days” and include the flow of aid to Gaza and the exchange of hostages captured by Hamas for people imprisoned by Israel.
  • El Reshik said the deal would include the release of Israeli women and children from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian women and children from “occupation prisons”.
  • Qatar to announce deal “within hours”
  • Two sources familiar with the talks told AFP the deal included a five-day truce, a ceasefire and restrictions on Israeli air operations in southern Gaza. Between 50 and 100 prisoners held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad will be released during the exchange.
  • Qatar’s prime minister said a deal to release some hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire still hinged on several “minor” details.
  • On Monday, US President Joe Biden also said that an agreement to release the hostages was close. “I think so,” Biden said when asked if a deal on the hostages was close, and crossed his fingers. The White House said that the negotiations are in the “final” stage, but refused to provide additional details.