ALBAWABA - Israeli media reported that Hamas had agreed to the first step of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange with Israel. The whole three-stage accord depends on an American promise for a total Israeli military departure from Gaza within 124 days.
Channel 12 quoted an unidentified Hamas official as saying the American promise was delivered via Egyptian and Qatari mediators, who would meet with Hamas leaders in Cairo on Saturday.
Israel's refusal to end the war in exchange for Palestinian inmates signals it will keep fighting Hamas.
The purported accord includes a US-backed promise that the Israeli force would not operate in Rafah, Gaza's southern metropolis, where 1.5 million Palestinians have fled.
The Israeli station reports that 33 of over 100 Israeli detainees detained in Gaza since October 7 would be released in the first round. The next six weeks are anticipated to see both sides release more captives and commit to a sustained truce.
The first phase of the accord may entail the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, with the US agreeing to let civilians to return to areas "cleared (by Israel) of Hamas." Israel is expected to free hundreds of Palestinian captives.
The station quoted sources as saying "agreements" had been struck on the number of Palestinians released from Israeli captivity.
The arrival of a Hamas team in Cairo on Saturday marks the restart of Gaza truce talks. According to Cairo News Channel, a top Egyptian source acknowledged "significant progress" in the discussions, implying the Egyptian team had reached compromise on several grounds of concern.
In another development, a Hamas spokesman told the French news agency that Qatari, Egyptian, and American delegations will begin discussions. The person said the Israeli team will meet separately to reach an agreement if progress is achieved.
The presence of CIA Director William Burns in Cairo on Friday evening may signify a ceasefire agreement, according to Axios.
