A hostage deal by Hanukkah? Israel, US and Hamas indicate unusual optimism.
Rapid changes in the Middle East appear to have changed negotiations, which are still not assured
Yarden Gonen, whose sister Romi Gonen remains captive in Gaza, speaks at a rally in Central Park, New York, Dec. 15, 2024. (Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters)
(JTA) — WASHINGTON — U.S. and Israeli officials say a deal to release the hostages still held by Hamas may be imminent, a claim reportedly bolstered by an unnamed Hamas official.
Hope around possible deals to release the remaining hostages captured on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its war against Israel, has escalated in the past before being foiled. But in recent weeks, much has changed: A leadership transition underway in the United States; a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon; and recent Israeli strikes on Iran’s and Syria’s military apparatuses all appear to make a deal more likely.
Talk of an imminent deal comes with just weeks left in the administration of President Joe Biden, who has said that before he leaves office he wants to free the remaining hostages captured on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its war against Israel. President-elect Donald Trump has also said he wants the hostage issue resolved before he assumes office or there will be “hell to pay,” although he has not said what that means.
Yisrael Katz, Israel’s defense minister, was widely quoted in Israeli media as telling Knesset lawmakers on Monday that a deal was close.
“We are closer than ever to a prisoner exchange agreement, with a commanding majority for the proposal currently on the table,” the “majority” referring to Israel’s Cabinet, in which far-right ministers have until now rejected any deal that would preclude total victory over Hamas. Katz told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting that the deal did not include an indefinite ceasefire, a sticking point in earlier negotiations.
Earlier Monday, Israeli media quoted Al Sharq Al Awasat, a London-based Saudi owned Arabic daily, as reporting a Hamas official using almost identical language. “The sides are closer than ever to an exchange deal and a ceasefire,” the Hamas official said.
Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, have in recent days expressed similar optimism to Israeli media. “It can be assumed that we’ll know within days whether it’s possible to carry out the deal,” an official on Sunday told Haaretz.
Israel Hayom on Monday quoted a source as saying that a deal could be in place by Hanukkah, which begins Dec. 25, depending on the hostages Hamas is ready to release.
The Wall Street Journal last week quoted Arab officials as saying that Hamas had already handed over such a list and agreed to Israel’s demand that its troops remain in the Gaza Strip while the hostages are handed over.
Trump said Monday he had discussed the hostages with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend, and that it was a “recap” of where things are. “We are trying to help very strongly in getting the hostages back, as you know, with Israel and the Middle East,” he said. “As you know, I gave a warning if these hostages aren’t back home by that day all hell is going to break out.”
Netanyahu also referred to the call at the end of a statement about the massive changes in neighboring Syria, where rebels last week ousted the Assad regime. Israeli jets have targeted sites believed to be housing weapons of mass destruction in Syria, part of its multi-front war in the region, but Netanyahu said Israel had no further claims in the country
“We discussed the need to complete Israel’s victory and we spoke at length about the efforts we are making to free our hostages,” Netanyahu said of his conversation with Trump
Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, said last week at the end of a visit to Israel that the aim still was to get the hostages released before Biden leaves office.
“I got the sense today from the prime minister he’s ready to do a deal,” he said, before continuing to Qatar and Egypt, countries that maintain a degree of influence with Hamas. “And when I go to Doha and Cairo, my goal will be to put us in a position to be able to close this deal this month, not later. Now, we’ve been close before and haven’t gotten there, so I can’t make any promises or predictions to you, but I wouldn’t be here today if I thought this thing was just waiting until after January 20th.”
It was not clear whether Israel’s extremist ministers, who may be needed for Netanyahu to retain a governing coalition, would support a deal. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister who has opposed any deals up to now, disparaged the idea of a deal in a meeting with a released hostage last week, according to a recording of the meeting made public over the weekend. Ben-Gvir says he opposes anything short of “total victory” and also says he supports encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza and building Israeli settlements there.
Families of hostages held a rally on Sunday in Central Park in New York, Speakers appeared buoyed by the news that a deal — for the first time in months — seemed close.
“I count on Naama and her strength and I know she’ll be back home soon,” said Amit Levy, whose sister, Naama, is still held hostage. “It can be a matter of days and we need to push stronger than ever to make it happen and make all the world leaders understand this is the most important thing in the world.”
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