Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed lawmakers that “some progress” has occurred in the negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
His remarks in parliament come two days after three Palestinian militant factions issued a rare joint statement indicating that a ceasefire deal for the Gaza conflict and a prisoner exchange was “closer than ever.”
In recent days, indirect negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States took place in Doha, reigniting hope for an agreement after over 14 months of conflict in Gaza.
“We are undertaking actions to ensure their return, but I want to emphasize that everything we are doing cannot be disclosed. Cautiously, I can say there has been some progress, and we will persist in our efforts until everyone is home,” Mr. Netanyahu said in parliament.
On Saturday, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine announced in a joint statement that advancements had been made towards a ceasefire agreement.
“The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange) is closer than ever, provided the enemy refrains from imposing new conditions,” the three factions mentioned after their discussions in Cairo a day prior.
‘Full force’
In his address, Mr. Netanyahu also cautioned the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels of Yemen, who last week launched two missiles at Israel, one of which injured 16 people in the commercial center of Tel Aviv on Saturday.
“I have instructed our forces to dismantle the infrastructure of the Houthis because anyone who attempts to harm us will be met with full force. We will continue to decisively combat the forces of evil with strength and ingenuity, even if it takes time,” Mr. Netanyahu stated.
Israeli warplanes retaliated against ports and energy facilities that the military claimed contributed to Houthi rebel operations, following a rebel missile that severely damaged an Israeli school last week.
People gather around a bus hit by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza
The Houthis reported that the Israeli strikes resulted in the deaths of nine individuals.
Furthermore, Mr. Netanyahu expressed his desire to establish new peace agreements with Arab nations, akin to the “Abraham Accords” negotiated in 2020 by the United States, which led Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco to formalize ties with Israel.
“Moderate Arab countries perceive Israel as a regional power and a potential ally. I aim to fully capitalize on this opportunity,” the Israeli leader remarked.
“Together with our American allies, I plan to expand the Abraham Accords… and thereby dramatically reshape the landscape of the Middle East.”
Gaining momentum
This month, a renewed effort by mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to end hostilities and facilitate the release of Israeli and foreign hostages has gained traction, although no significant breakthrough has been reported yet.
A Palestinian official involved in the discussions indicated that while some obstacles had been overcome, the identities of certain Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel in exchange for hostages had yet to be finalized, along with the specific placement of Israeli forces in Gaza.
These remarks aligned with comments made by Israeli diaspora minister Amichai Chikli, who claimed both matters were still under negotiation. Nevertheless, he stated that the parties were significantly closer to reaching an agreement than they had been in months.
“This ceasefire could last six months or even ten years; it depends on the evolving dynamics on the ground,” Mr. Chikli stated on Israel’s Kan radio. Much depends on which entities will govern and rehabilitate Gaza once the fighting ceases, he explained.
The length of the ceasefire has been a critical sticking point in numerous rounds of failed negotiations. While Hamas seeks an end to the conflict, Israel insists on the termination of Hamas’ governance in Gaza first.
Palestinians leave their homes in Gaza with belongings
“The issue of completely ending the war has not yet been resolved,” remarked the Palestinian official.
Israeli Minister Zeev Elkin, part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, mentioned on Israel’s Army Radio that the objective was to formulate a consensus framework to address that discrepancy during a subsequent phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Mr. Chikli noted that the initial phase would focus on humanitarian concerns, lasting 42 days and involving a release of hostages.
The conflict erupted following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 people to Gaza, according to Israeli reports.
Since then, Israel’s operation against Hamas in Gaza has reportedly resulted in over 45,200 Palestinian fatalities, as per health officials in the Hamas-controlled enclave. A majority of the 2.3 million population has been displaced, with extensive destruction across Gaza.
At least 11 Palestinians lost their lives due to Israeli strikes today, medical sources reported.
One of Gaza’s few remaining partially operational hospitals, located in its northern region, which has endured intense Israeli military pressure for nearly three months, urgently sought assistance after being hit by Israeli fire.
“We are facing a continuous daily threat,” stated Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.
Makeshift tents were destroyed in an Israeli attack on Khan Younis
Yesterday, Israel announced it was providing fuel and food to the hospital and facilitating the evacuation of certain patients and staff to safer locations.
Palestinians accuse Israel of attempting to permanently depopulate northern Gaza to establish a buffer zone, an allegation that Israel refutes.
Israel contends that its operations around the northern Gaza communities of Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia aim to target Hamas militants.
The United Nations’ aid chief, Tom Fletcher, mentioned this morning that Israeli forces have obstructed efforts to deliver essential aid in northern Gaza.
“Northern Gaza has been under an almost total siege for more than two months, raising concerns of famine,” he stated.
“Southern Gaza is extremely overcrowded, leading to dire living conditions and escalating humanitarian needs as winter approaches.”
Only 12 trucks delivered aid to northern Gaza since October – Oxfam
According to aid group Oxfam, merely 12 trucks provided food and water in northern Gaza over the past two and a half months, sounding the alarm over the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Palestine.
The Israeli authorities dismissed the report, claiming it “deliberately and inaccurately” minimized their humanitarian efforts.
“Out of the scant 34 trucks of food and water authorized to enter the North Gaza Governorate in the last 2.5 months, intentional delays and systematic prevention by the Israeli military resulted in just twelve successfully distributing aid to starving Palestinian civilians,” Oxfam stated, noting that this count included deliveries made through Saturday.
Children wait in line to receive food from an aid group in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on 22 November
“In three of these instances, once the food and water reached the school where people were sheltering, it was cleared and shelled within hours,” Oxfam added.
Israel, which has closely regulated aid entering the Hamas-ruled territory since the war commenced, frequently blames what it describes as the inadequacy of relief organizations to manage and distribute large amounts of aid.
COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body overseeing Palestinian civilian affairs, criticized the Oxfam report.
“The Oxfam report deliberately and inaccurately disregards the substantial humanitarian efforts undertaken by Israel in the northern Gaza Strip,” COGAT stated.
“Since October, over 2,100 aid trucks have entered the northern Gaza Strip,” it emphasized, asserting that specific shipments “including food, water, and medical supplies” had been sent to northern Gaza areas of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia.
