Kochi: With US President’ Joe Biden’s term coming to an end, efforts are on top gear to ink a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, BBC reported.
President Elect Donald Trump’s warning that “all hell” would break loose if the hostages were not released before he took office on 20 January 20, has fuelled efforts to speed up the deal.
Negotiations were in “advanced stages”, with a deal possible in “hours, days or more”, BBC said.
Hamas and Israeli officials conducted indirect talks in the same building on Monday.
Hamas would release three hostages on the first day of the agreement, after which Israel would begin withdrawing the troops.
Seven days later, Hamas would release four additional hostages, and Israel would allow displaced people in the south to return to the north p…on foot via the coastal road.
Cars, animal-drawn carts, and trucks would be permitted to cross through a passage monitored by an X-ray machine.
Israel has also agreed to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas will release 34 hostages.
Negotiations for the second and third phases of the agreement would begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said a deal could be done “this week” – the final week of Biden’s presidency, the reports said.
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