“Israel and Hamas reach supposed provisional agreement for hostages. Contradictions about its existence. Awaiting official confirmation.
In an unexpected turn of events in the current crisis in the Middle East, Israel, the United States, and the militant group Hamas have reportedly reached a supposed provisional agreement. It is worth noting that this supposed agreement would be for the release of dozens of women and children who were taken as hostages in Gaza. The news was reported by the Washington Post on Saturday, November 18th, citing sources familiar with the agreement.
According to the detailed supposed agreement mentioned, all parties agreed to freeze combat operations for at least five days. During this period, the release of “an initial 50 or more hostages in smaller groups every 24 hours” would take place, as reported by the Post. This development follows Hamas’ attack on October 7th in Israel, where they took around 240 hostages, resulting in the tragic loss of 1,200 lives. Although the exact number of hostages to be released was not specified immediately, it is estimated that at least 239 people are held captive in Gaza. The newspaper noted that aerial surveillance would be implemented to monitor ground movement and ensure compliance with the agreement.
The supposed pause in fighting would allow a significant amount of humanitarian aid to enter the region. However, the morning after the news broke, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied the existence of such an agreement. At a press conference, he stated that “so far” no agreement had been reached for the release of hostages held by Hamas. Netanyahu dismissed reports of imminent agreements as “many incorrect reports” and assured that, if an agreement were reached, the Israeli public would be informed.
This contradiction between U.S. sources and the statement of the Israeli Prime Minister raises questions about the veracity and stability of the agreement. Meanwhile, the international community is cautiously awaiting official confirmation and additional details about the terms of the agreement.
On the other hand, the head of the Israeli National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, has said that a limited ceasefire would only occur after… “A massive release of our hostages… and will be limited and brief, because after that, we will continue to work towards our war goals.”
The White House added, “There is no agreement yet, but we continue to work hard to reach an agreement,” said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. However, according to the Post, the pause in fighting would allow a significant increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance, including fuel, entering from Egypt. The agreement is believed to be the result of weeks of talks in Doha, Qatar, involving Israel, the United States, and Hamas, represented by Qatari mediators.
Pressure on the Israeli Prime Minister’s government, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been mounting, and more than 100 countries have called for a total and immediate ceasefire, although notably not the United States. However, it is believed that the White House would support a temporary ceasefire in the current situation in the Middle East. ‘I think we need a pause. A pause means time to get the prisoners out,’ said Joe Biden during a campaign event two weeks ago. It is worth mentioning that earlier this week, the president said that the hostages were “on our minds every day,” according to the Daily Mail. Likewise, he was looking for a way to “have a long enough period of time” to allow them to be released.”
