Significant progress is being made, and a hostage deal can be reached within a month, two officials with knowledge about the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
Behind the scenes, there is a positive atmosphere in the talks, according to officials involved in the negotiations, Hamas, and Arab media reports.
Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, and Adam Boehler, President-elect Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, are visiting the region and held talks regarding a hostage deal on Tuesday.
Boehler, who is on a private visit, met with Coordinator for the Captives and the Missing Gal Hirsch, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
One of the obstacles to a hostage deal is that every first stage, which is expected to last 40 to 60 days, will terminate once Trump has already taken office.
Hamas fears one possible outcome in particular and has asked for guarantees on the matter: that Trump may allow Netanyahu to automatically resume military operations in Gaza immediately after the first stage is complete and not advance to the second stage, informed sources told the Post on Tuesday.
Hamas’s understanding
This is in contrast to Hamas’s understanding of how US President Joe Biden would approach it by applying more pressure to extend the ceasefire once the first stage comes to an end.
Israel has said it would refuse that such guarantees be given to Hamas. But it seems as if the terrorist group feels that with the warnings issued by Trump, a deal must be reached before he assumes office on January 20, and there is a chance to secure these guarantees.
