Amid 'unprecedented readiness' for a deal, hostage negotiations at standstill

Egyptian officials told Al Akhbar that the discussions taking place in recent days have "focused on expanding the deal to include larger numbers and extending it over a longer duration."

By SAM HALPERN DECEMBER 16, 2024 08:23

Israel's military operates in the Gaza Strip during a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, on November 27, 2023 (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

While mediators have confirmed that there is an "unprecedented readiness" on both sides to complete a Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal, talks have come to a standstill, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese outlet Al Akhbar reported on Monday.

Egyptian officials told the Lebanese outlet that the discussions taking place in recent days have "focused on expanding the deal to include larger numbers and extending it over a longer duration, though this matter has not been definitively resolved."

The Egyptian sources reportedly believed the IDF’s recent activities in the Gaza Strip were motivated by US President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to exert pressure to complete a ceasefire deal.

IDF reportedly trying to maximize leverage

The officials told Al Akhbar they viewed the Israeli military’s activities in the enclave as an effort to extract more concessions from the Palestinian parties, such as “freedom of movement” for the IDF during the period following the implementation of a potential deal.

The Al Akhbar report follows one from Saturday when the news outlet cited Egyptian sources as claiming Israeli terms had complicated talks.

View of the Philadelphi Corridor between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, on July 15, 2024. (credit: Oren Cohen/Flash90)

According to the earlier report, the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip running parallel to Gaza’s border with Egypt in the southern portion of the Strip, remained a hurdle as Israel continues to pursue maintaining control of the area as a critical component for preventing Hamas’s future rearmament. 

Late last month, an Israeli official told Walla that Hamas was willing to compromise on several points of disagreement in the hostage deal negotiations.

Earlier this month, Palestinian sources familiar with the matter reiterated the idea, telling the Saudi-owned news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat that Hamas may have been more open than it previously had been to compromise in the hostage deal talks and that the terror group had indicated it would accept a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors. 

The Netzarim Corridor is an eight-kilometer stretch of land located a few kilometers south of Gaza City that bisects the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday, Arab mediators told The Wall Street Journal that Hamas has agreed to yield to two of Israel's "key demands" for a ceasefire deal. 

---

---

Danielle Greyman-Kennard and Aaron Reich contributed to this report.