Pieces of the effort to get a cease fire deal are leaking out…..
Israel and Hamas once again appear to be inching toward a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage there.
Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure from outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to reach a deal before the Jan. 20 inauguration. But the sides have come close before, only to have talks collapse over various disagreements.
The latest round of negotiations has bogged down over the names of hostages to be released in a first phase, according to Israeli, Egyptian and Hamas officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing ongoing negotiations.
Israel wants assurances that the hostages are alive, while Hamas says that after months of heavy fighting, it isn’t sure who is alive or dead.
Other hurdles remain.
The first phase, expected to last for six to eight weeks, would also include a halt in fighting, a release of Palestinian prisoners and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, according to the officials. The last phase would include the release of any remaining hostages, an end to the war, and talks on reconstruction and who will govern Gaza going forward….
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Pausing the war or ending it?
Families of hostages reacted angrily to reports of the phased approach, saying the government should instead be pursuing a deal that releases all the captives at once. They say time is running out to bring people home safely.
“This morning, I and everyone in Israel woke up and discovered that the state of Israel has put together a Schindler’s List — 34 people who will be able to hug their families again, and 66 others whose fate will be sealed,” said Yotam Cohen, whose brother Nimrod, an Israeli soldier held hostage, did not appear on the published list.
Netanyahu has said he supports a partial deal that pauses the war, but he has rejected Hamas’ demands for a full Israeli withdrawal that would end the war. Netanyahu has vowed to continue fighting until he achieves “total victory” — including the destruction of Hamas’ military capabilities.
Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hamas. But the group continues to stage attacks in Gaza and to fire rockets into Israel. That could portend an open-ended war that could drag on for months or years.
The Hostages Forum, a grassroots group representing many hostage families, said it was time for a comprehensive deal….
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The release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel
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 large-scale prisoner releases, and hundreds were freed in the November 2023 deal. But the sides have disagreed over the exact number and names of the prisoners to be freed. Hamas wants high-profile prisoners included. Israeli officials have ruled out the release of Marwan Barghouti, who tops Hamas’ wish list.
Netanyahu’s governing coalition includes hardliners who oppose such releases….
Iran is worried….
Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon and Israeli/US/UK attacks against the Houthi’s are cutting Iran’s influence in the Middle East and worries Iran that itself could come under attack….
Reports or President Biden thinking about an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites have leaked out also….
Iran appears to be feeling more vulnerable after the fall of the Assad regime, Israeli military action against Iranian air defenses and missile production, and the defeats suffered by Hamas and Hezbollah. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Spokesperson Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini told the Financial Times that Iran has doubled the number of military drills this year “in response to the evolving threat landscape” and they have “expanded participation of brigades engaged in realistic operations.”
Breaking….
West Bank Terror attack against Israeli’s….
It was not immediately clear who the perpetrators were in Monday’s attack. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group based in Gaza, praised the attack as a “heroic response to the ongoing crimes and war of extermination committed by the occupation against our people” but did not claim responsibility….
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