A girl watches as Mohammad Eid mourns his cousin Dima, along with her uncle and grandfather, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Saturday, during their funeral in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Israel and Hamas appear to be inching closer to a phased ceasefire agreement, officials said Monday. However, a deal hasn't been reached yet and there are a number of obstacles that could still scupper the talks in Qatar.
Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.
The Israel Hamas-war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities.
Hostage, ceasefire deal
President-elect Donald Trump said Monday that he believed a hostage and ceasefire deal could potentially be completed by the end of the week.
“And I understand it’s, it’s been – there’s been a handshake and they’re getting it finished,” Trump said in a Newsmax interview. “But it has to take place.”
He did not further elaborate.
Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is in the region and has met with Israeli and Qatari officials in recent days. He’s closely coordinating with Joe Biden’s outgoing Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk, who has been in Doha for several days.
Trump last week warned that “all hell” would be unleashed on Hamas if a deal is not reached before his inauguration on Jan. 20.
He reiterated his warning for Hamas to come to terms with the Israelis.
“If they don’t get it done,” Trump said. “There’s going to be a lot of trouble out there, a lot of trouble like they have never seen before.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was important to include President-elect Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, in the latest round of talks because if a ceasefire can be reached, it will be up to the Trump team in part to ensure it survives beyond Inauguration Day.
“I think Steve Witkoff has been a terrific partner in this, and also President-elect Trump in making clear that he wants to see this deal go forward, and go forward before January 20th,” Blinken said in an interview with MSNBC.
“Everyone wants to know – and it’s very useful as well to have Steve a part of this – they want to make sure that the deal that the president’s put on the table and that we’ve negotiated, the Trump administration will continue to back," Blinken said. “So, creating that confidence by having Steve Witkoff’s participation, I think, has been critical.”
Under the terms of the agreement being discussed, the U.S. is one of several guarantors and will have a key role in making sure that its first phase — which would see a halt in hostilities and the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel — is followed by the successful implementation of its second phase, which aims to prepare for Gaza’s post-conflict future, including security, reconstruction and governance.
Israelis demonstrate
Around 1,000 Israelis blocked the main highway entering Jerusalem and demonstrated against a ceasefire deal, marching with a sign that read “You have no mandate to surrender to Hamas.”
In Tel Aviv, dozens of supporters of the hostages spelled out “HOME!” at the entrance to the city’s main military base.
“We’re not getting any guidance yet from the government of Israel, understanding if it is a deal for all the hostages or is it just a partial deal,” said Ruby Chen, whose son, Israeli-American Itay Chen, was taken hostage from his military base. Israel determined that Chen was likely killed on Oct. 7, 2023, and his body is still in Gaza.
Ruby Chen said when it seemed that talks were starting to gain momentum 10 days ago, he flew to Qatar with other families to press for a deal to include all of the hostages, including the bodies of those who have died.
Progress is being made
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that progress has been made in the Israel-Hamas hostage and ceasefire talks and “there is a distinct possibility that we can get this deal done just before President Biden leaves office.”
“We’ve been close before and haven’t gotten across the finish line,” said Sullivan, speaking at an event in Washington hosted by Bloomberg News. “Can we get to a final agreement, and then can we begin implementing it in the coming days? It’s there for the taking. So, the question is, now, can we all collectively seize the moment and make this happen?”
Sullivan added that he spoke on Monday morning with Qatar’s prime minister, Israeli negotiators and White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk, who is in Doha for the talks, about the ongoing negotiations.
Potential obstacles to an Israel-Hamas agreement
Israel and Hamas have been holding indirect talks for more than a year aimed at ending the war in Gaza and returning scores of militant-held hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
There has been intensive mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
But the talks have repeatedly stalled over several key issues. They include details of the exchange, whether the ceasefire would be permanent and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The war has ground on as each side has accused the other of backtracking.