After 14 months of war and devastating losses to its leadership ranks, Hamas may be finally ready for a ceasefire agreement that would see some of the hostages they brutally took on October 7 return to Israel.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Hamas has made two unprecedented concessions that could finally break the diplomatic deadlock. Specifically, the Iranian-backed terrorist group has agreed to Israeli forces remaining in the Philadelphi corridor and the Netzarim corridor, which cuts through the enclave. Hamas has also conceded that it would relinquish any operational presence or control over the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
Developed through Egyptian mediation with strong U.S. backing, the proposal on the table outlines a 60-day cessation of hostilities. During this period, up to 30 hostages would be freed, including American citizens, women, elderly individuals, and those with medical conditions. In return, Israel would be required to release an unspecified number of dangerous Arab prisoners and allow an increased flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Hamas’ newfound flexibility follows significant setbacks, including the October killing of leader Yahya Sinwar, who had demanded that any deal must include both a complete end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. According to sources familiar with the situation, Hamas is currently operating under a collective leadership until Sinwar’s successor is chosen.
Additional pressure has come from President-elect Donald Trump, who recently warned on Truth Social that there would be ‘hell to pay’ in the Middle East if the hostages aren’t released before he assumes office in January.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has expressed optimism about the prospects for an agreement.
‘For months, we believe Hamas was waiting for lots of other actors and forces to come to their rescue,’ he said. ‘After the Israel-Lebanon cease-fire, we had a different character to the negotiation, and we believe that it puts us in a position to be able to close this negotiation.’
Sullivan is now headed to Qatar and Egypt to further advance the negotiations.
While Netanyahu’s office has declined to comment directly on the negotiations, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that there were ‘certain developments’ in the cease-fire talks, though he cautioned it was premature to determine if a deal was within reach.
Of the 100 hostages still in Gaza, at least 30 are believed to be deceased according to Israeli assessments. The majority of those remaining are Israeli citizens, though some hold dual nationality.”
