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“We are close to announcing an agreement and a prisoner exchange,” said a source claiming to be familiar with the negotiations, “but this hinges on Israel’s awaited response.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF JANUARY 12, 2025 14:10 Updated: JANUARY 12, 2025 14:11
An Israeli Military vehicle drives past banners reading " Bring Them Home Now", amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, on the Israeli side near the Israel-Gaza border, January 12, 2025.
(photo credit: REUTERS/KAI PFAFFENBACH)
Hamas's unexpected flexibility during negotiations for a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza surprised Israeli delegates, a source from Hamas told Saudi news outlet Asharq on Saturday.
“We are close to announcing an agreement and a prisoner exchange,” said a source claiming to be familiar with the negotiations, “but this hinges on Israel’s awaited response. If no new Israeli conditions are introduced, the agreement will be ready for announcement through the mediators”—referring to Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
The source said that Hamas demonstrated "significant flexibility" during the talks, which surprised Israeli negotiators. This included agreeing to submit a list of living prisoners as part of the first phase and adding 11 prisoners to the list at Israel’s request during the latest round of discussions.
Additionally, Hamas did not object to the continued presence of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi Corridor, the closure of the Rafah crossing, or the positioning of Israeli forces at the Netzarim axis, which separates northern Gaza from the south.
However, the source stressed that these concessions were contingent on guarantees that displaced residents would be allowed to return through an electronic checkpoint equipped with cameras at the western Martyrs Junction (Al-Rashid Road) during the initial phase, which is expected to last six to eight weeks.
According to the source, both sides agreed on the general framework for the second phase of the deal, with contentious issues postponed for further discussion during the implementation of the first phase.
Alleged terms of the deal
The agreement outlines a gradual increase in the delivery of aid, with more trucks entering through the Salah a-Din Gate—the commercial crossing at Rafah—and the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing. The Rafah crossing for individual travelers will also gradually reopen, beginning with emergency cases such as patients and the injured, followed by an expansion of permitted categories and numbers.
“This process depends on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the crossing area and the Philadelphi Corridor,” the source explained, adding that discussions remain ongoing regarding the mechanism for managing the crossing. This would follow the 2005 agreement, which involves European monitors and coordination between Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, and the US.
The source emphasized that Hamas is adamant about securing guarantees from international mediators—including Egypt, Qatar, and the US—to ensure the full implementation of the agreement, leading to a permanent ceasefire and an eventual complete Israeli withdrawal.
“This point requires concluding the second phase of negotiations,” the source said, noting that Hamas had agreed to a phased ceasefire and a withdrawal timeline. He stressed the importance of these guarantees, explaining that they link the prisoner exchange deal to measures aimed at preventing a resumption of hostilities during the agreement’s implementation.
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Sources estimated that “by Sunday evening, it should become clear whether a deal in Gaza will be reached or if Israel will revert to imposing new conditions, resetting negotiations to square one.”
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