President Joe Biden confirmed on Friday afternoon that, while more work is needed, Israel and Hamas have agreed on a ceasefire framework that includes the release of hostages. Although some details still need to be finalized, this is the closest the two sides have been to an agreement in months.
President Biden recently announced that six weeks ago, he proposed a comprehensive framework aimed at achieving a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages. He acknowledged that while there is still work to be done and the issues are complex, both Israel and Hamas have now agreed to this framework. Biden emphasized that his team is making progress and he is determined to see this through.
According to The Jerusalem Post Yaron Blum, Israel’s former chief negotiator for the release of hostages, spoke on Sunday on 103FM about the ongoing negotiations regarding Israel’s hostage deal with Hamas. Blum stated that the negotiations are complex and require careful handling to ensure the safe return of the hostages., “For the first time since the Biden outline, Hamas gave a positive answer to the beginning of negotiations. I estimate that it will be a 3-4 week process. Qatar is the central mediator, and Egypt is involved as well. I think that the military pressure, along with the pressure exerted by the mediators, led Hamas to agree to the outline presented by Biden.”
The future of a deal was placed directly on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by Blum. He later added, “I think that Netanyahu is in favor of it and wants a successful deal. I hope he does, at least, because if not, he will miss a one-time opportunity to bring our people home, and it will be on his head. In the Israeli delegation, we see that they are also aiming for a deal. I think that Netanyahu understands very well that this is his last chance. If 120 hostages remain there, it will be solely his responsibility.”
Blum emphasized the urgency of securing the return of the 120 hostages, stating, “We must do everything possible to return our 120 hostages. Anyone who says he opposes the deal does not understand that the Gaza Strip is not going anywhere and that Hamas is an ideology that cannot be eradicated. Gaza is not going anywhere. This is a one-time opportunity [and] Sinwar is ripe for a deal. The main points of dispute are solvable.”.
