Breakthrough in Hostage Negotiations: Netanyahu and Witkoff Make Progress

A tense but pivotal meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has led to a significant breakthrough in the ongoing hostage negotiations. According to two Arab officials, Witkoff's intervention was more effective in swaying Netanyahu than any previous efforts made by outgoing President Joe Biden throughout the past year.

Witkoff, who has been in Doha for a week working on the hostage issue, flew to Jerusalem on Saturday for a direct meeting with Netanyahu. During their conversation, Witkoff urged the Israeli prime minister to accept key compromises necessary for a deal. This discussion set the stage for a major shift in the hostage negotiations, with both Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams indicating their acceptance of the proposed deal on Monday night.

The terms of the deal are still being finalized, but the key issue left to resolve involves the specifics of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) withdrawal from Gaza. Mediators, including the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, have been working hard to ensure a comprehensive agreement, with an expected joint statement likely to be issued in the coming days.

The proposed agreement between Israel and Hamas involves a phased approach. The first phase will see the release of 33 women, children, elderly, and severely ill hostages in exchange for approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. In this stage, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza and allow 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter the region each day.

The second phase will focus on the release of the remaining hostages and will conclude with the declaration of a permanent end to hostilities. The third phase involves the release of bodies still held by Hamas.

Negotiations will continue as mediators work to solidify the final details of the first phase, with the second phase only being addressed once the initial stage is in motion.

U.S. Involvement and Shifting Dynamics

Although the Biden administration has exerted significant pressure on Israel throughout the negotiations, their influence has been complicated by the changing political dynamics in the U.S. The Biden team initially pushed for a framework that would see the Palestinian Authority replace Hamas in Gaza, but Netanyahu resisted. The Trump administration, however, has been more effective in persuading Netanyahu to accept the phased approach.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently announced that Israel has accepted the deal to free the remaining 98 hostages, but Hamas has not yet fully committed. This three-phase hostage deal is seen as largely mirroring a similar proposal from Israel last May, but talks have repeatedly faltered in the past.

Political Pressures and Military Strategy

The ongoing talks have also been influenced by political considerations within Israel, particularly with the upcoming U.S. presidential transition. Blinken’s comments and actions have attempted to bridge gaps, but some Arab officials argue that Israel’s unwillingness to fully embrace the U.S. approach led to repeated deadlocks.

With an agreement potentially on the horizon, the future of Gaza remains uncertain, and the final resolution will depend heavily on both parties’ willingness to continue negotiations under intense international scrutiny.