“Trump Special Envoy Pushes Gaza Ceasefire By January 20Steve Witkoff is trying to reach an agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire before Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue in Doha with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States.”, — write on: unn.ua
Details
Israeli officials said Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday, January 11, to reach an agreement on the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip and a ceasefire.
Witkoff traveled to Israel from Qatar as part of a last-minute effort by US President-elect Donald Trump to pressure all parties involved in the talks to reach a deal by January 20
A senior Israeli official told Axios that earlier on Friday, Witkoff had conveyed to the Qatari prime minister at a meeting in Doha that Trump wanted to see a deal within days.
Today, at a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the special representative emphasized that Trump’s goal is to reach an agreement by January 20. Another senior Israeli official said Witkoff repeatedly emphasized Trump’s Inauguration Day goal during consultations with Netanyahu and the Israeli negotiating team.
According to the official, in recent days there has been a narrowing of the gaps in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, but some problems still remain. He noted that the parties are not yet “in the zone of agreement”, but are very close to it.
There is a chance to reach an agreement, but it is a serious problem. The leaders of the Israeli negotiating team would not have gone to Qatar if they did not believe that an agreement could be reached. It will be difficult, but the group will do everything possible to reach an agreement
Netanyahu’s office previously reported that during the meeting, members of the Israeli negotiating team and US President Joe Biden’s adviser on Middle East affairs, Bret McGurk, who is in Doha, took part in a conference call to discuss the status of the talks.
At the end of the meeting, Netanyahu instructed Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronen Baru and IDF General Nitsan Alon to leave immediately for Doha to speed up an agreement on the release of the hostages and a ceasefire.
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, are still ongoing in Doha. American officials say McGurk and Witkoff are coordinating their efforts
About 98 hostages are known to still be held by Hamas in Gaza, including 7 Americans. According to Israeli intelligence, about half of the hostages, including three Americans, are believed to be still alive.
If a deal is reached, the first phase could involve the release of 33 hostages – some still alive and some dead.
The first phase is also expected to include a six- to seven-week ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including those who have killed Israelis.
We will remind
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu had a telephone conversation with Donald Trump regarding the release of hostages in Gaza and the events in Syria. Trump threatens “hell” in the Middle East if the hostages are not released before his inauguration.