Israel has stated that several aspects of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement remain unresolved but expressed hope for their resolution later that evening. This comes despite reports of an agreement already being reached with Hamas.
“Several clauses in the framework remain unresolved, and we hope the details will be finalised tonight,” read a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
Earlier, a US official confirmed that a deal had been struck, a sentiment echoed by a source in Qatar, sparking widespread celebrations across Gaza.
According to the Qatari source, the agreement followed meetings between Qatar’s prime minister and negotiators from both Hamas and Israel.
Netanyahu’s office claimed Hamas had made a “last-minute” demand regarding the positioning of Israeli forces along the Philadelphi Corridor, the stretch of land bordering Egypt and Gaza. However, it added that the demand had been rejected, ensuring the deployment would remain unchanged.
The statement concluded that all remaining points in the deal were expected to be finalised soon.
