Israel and Hamas are closer than ever to a hostage deal, Jewish media said quoting a pro-Hezbollah report. According to mediators engaging the two warring sides, "unprecedented levels of readiness" have been displayed by Hamas as well as the Benjamin Netanyahu government.
On Christmas day, a crucial breakthrough is expected in the talks to bring home the Israeli nationals taken hostage during the October 7 attacks by infiltrators from Gaza. Hamas is pitching for an extended ceasefire in the territory, while Israel's priority is the release of as many hostages as possible, the Times Of Israel (TOI) said in a report.
It was Egyptian security sources and mediators who reportedly revealed the crucial details to pro-Hamas Lebanese media outlet al-Akhbar. Talks between the two camps in recent times were ending inconclusive as they couldn't find a common ground when it came to the number of hostages being released as a part of the deal, the Times Of Israel said in a report. However, sources in Tel Aviv reportedly confirmed that the government is likely to sign a deal by December 25.
Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity
A bid by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to reach a truce, which would also include a hostage deal, has gained momentum in recent weeks, yet there has been no news of a breakthrough. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken with US President-elect Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20, about efforts to secure a hostage release. "We discussed the need to complete Israel's victory and we spoke at length about the efforts we are making to free our hostages," Netanyahu said in a statement on Sunday.
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According to Israel, 251 Israelis and foreigners were taken to Gaza by Hamas fighters on 7 October 2023. Among them, 96 remain unaccounted for as of December 4, 2024. Tel Aviv claims 101 people are still in Hamas captivity in Gaza, including four people taken hostage in 2014 and 2015.
War in Gaza
The war in Gaza began when the Palestinian militant group stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking many others hostages back to Gaza. Israel then launched an air and land offensive that has killed almost 45,000 people, mostly civilians, according to authorities in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. The campaign has displaced nearly the entire population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
