Israel, Hamas appear close to ceasefire deal – these are the sticking points

AP – Israel and Hamas appear closer than they have been in months to agreeing to a ceasefire that could wind down the 14-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of people held hostage there.

 

But the sides have come close before, only to have talks collapse over various disagreements. This round of negotiations also faces hurdles.

 

The agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, according to Egyptian, Hamas and American officials. The last phase would include the release of any remaining hostages, an end to the war and talks on reconstruction.

 

Although Israel and Hamas have expressed optimism that a deal is close, key sticking points remain over the exchange of hostages for prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, people involved in the talks said.

 

“They are working through the names of hostages who would come out in the first phase – the names of the prisoners that would be released as part of the exchange. And then some specific details about the disposition of Israeli forces during the ceasefire,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

 

Here’s a closer look at the key issues holding up a deal:

 

 

During its October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, Hamas and other groups took about 250 people hostages and brought them to Gaza. A previous truce in November 2023 freed more than 100 hostages, while others have been rescued or their remains have been recovered over the past year. Israel said about 100 hostages remain in Gaza – at least a third of whom it believes were killed during the October 7 attack or died in captivity.

 

The warring sides are haggling over which hostages would be included in an initial release, according to the Egyptian and Hamas officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing ongoing negotiations. There have also been disputes about how many hostages will be included, Israeli media reported. The first batch is expected to be made up mostly of women, older people and people with medical conditions.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also is facing growing pressure from the families of hostages to secure a deal that would release all of them at once. They fear the deal could break down or that loved ones who aren’t immediately released could die in captivity.

 

 

As part of the deal, Israel is expected to free hundreds of imprisoned Palestinians, including dozens who were convicted in bloody attacks.

 

Israel has a history of lopsided prisoner releases and hundreds were freed in the November 2023 deal. But the officials who spoke to the AP said the sides still disagree over the exact number and names of the prisoners to be freed. Hamas wants high-profile prisoners included.

 

Netanyahu’s governing coalition includes hardliners who oppose such releases, with some even pledging to quit the government if too many concessions are made. They point to a 2011 prisoner release that included the former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a mastermind of the October 7 attacks who was killed by Israel in October.

 

Israeli media have also reported that there are differences over whether the more serious prisoners who are released will be exiled to third countries.

 

 

The war has displaced an estimated 90 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, according to United Nations estimates, with the hard-hit northern sector of the territory largely emptied of its prewar population.

 

During the first phase of the developing deal, Israel is expected to withdraw troops from Palestinian population centres and allow some of the displaced to return home. But the extent of the pullback and the number of people allowed to return must still be worked out, the officials said.

 

According to the Egyptian and Hamas officials, Israel is prepared to allow people to return north to Gaza City, the territory’s largest city. But it does not want people to return farther north to areas close to the Israeli border.