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| On November 14th (local time), the Israeli military is conducting ground operations in the Gaza Strip, amidst a war with the Palestinian armed faction, Hamas. November 15, 2023. ⓒ Reuters=News1 ⓒ News1 Reporter Woo Dong-myung |
(Seoul=News1) Reporters Kim Sung-sik and Shin Gi-rim = Reports have emerged that Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas have reached a tentative agreement to halt hostilities for five days and release dozens of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. However, the White House in the United States has clarified that the relevant agreement has not yet been reached.
The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 18th (local time) that Israel, the US, and Hamas are close to an agreement to release dozens of women and children held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a five-day cessation of hostilities.
WP, citing sources familiar with the agreement, reported, “According to the six-page detailed agreement conditions, the combatants Israel and Hamas will cease combat operations for at least five days and release more than 50 of the estimated 239 abductees every 24 hours.” The cease-fire will be enforced by monitoring ground movements through aerial surveillance.
WP predicted, “This cessation of hostilities and release of hostages could begin within a few days, excluding final obstacles, and could be an opportunity for the conflict in the Gaza Strip to be temporarily halted for the first time.” According to Arab diplomats quoted by WP, the contours of an agreement have been formed through weeks of talks in Doha, Qatar, indirectly represented by Hamas, mediated by the US and Israel, and Qatar.
The Hamas political office has been established and operated in Qatar since 2012. Currently, this office is known to be used for the US government’s mediation to stabilize the situation in the Gaza Strip and Israel. However, WP added that it is still unclear whether Israel will agree to temporarily halt airstrikes on the Gaza Strip if the conditions are met.
In relation to this, Adrian Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House, stated through a press release on the same day, “There has been no agreement yet,” adding, “We are continuing to work hard for an agreement.”
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| On October 28th (local time), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant are holding a press conference at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel. October 28, 2023. ⓒ Reuters=News1 ⓒ News1 Reporter Kim Sung-sik |
On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained unyielding in his stance to continue military operations in the Gaza Strip until Hamas is expelled and the detained hostages return.
According to the local daily Times of Israel (TOI), when asked at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, on the same day whether an agreement to release some or all of the abductees was imminent, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “There are many incorrect reports,” and emphasized, “There is currently no agreement.” He then promised, “When an agreement is reached, I will immediately inform the citizens.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu also emphasized that the Israeli forces operating in the Gaza Strip have “removed thousands of terrorists, including the Hamas command, and destroyed command centers and tunnels,” and that “we are pushing forward with all our might.”
He also said that the international community, including the United States, has “pressured us to agree to a complete ceasefire, but we refused.” However, he clearly stated that “we can only agree to a temporary ceasefire based on the return of the hostages,” leaving open the possibility of a negotiation settlement.
The press conference was attended by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of War Cabinet Benny Gantz, among others. Defense Minister Gallant said that if the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which has seized the west of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, finishes mopping up Hamas, they will soon advance to the south of Gaza. The press conference took place before the WP report.
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