International Desk //

After long negotiations, Qatar, the mediator country, has handed over a final draft of a Gaza ceasefire deal to Israel and Hamas. Reuters reported on Monday, citing an official involved, that the final draft of the deal was handed over after the talks were successful at midnight on Sunday in the presence of an envoy from newly elected US President Donald Trump.

The official said that the heads of Israel’s Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies met with Qatari Prime Minister Steve Witkoff in Doha to discuss a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Officials from the outgoing US administration are also believed to have participated. The next 24 hours are crucial to reaching an agreement.

Israel’s Kan Radio reported on Monday, citing an Israeli official, that both Israeli and Hamas representatives in Qatar have received a draft. The delegation has already briefed Israeli leaders. Arab News reported that the foreign ministries of Israel, Hamas and Qatar did not respond to requests for confirmation or comment. A senior Israeli official said that a deal could be signed within days if Hamas responds to the proposal. A Palestinian official close to the talks said that the information coming out of Doha was very promising. There is a lot of pressure being put on a deal if everything goes well in the end. US President Joe Biden is also pushing for a deal. On the other hand, Trump has said that there will be serious consequences if the hostages are not released.

The US, Qatar and Egypt have been working on a ceasefire in Gaza for more than a year. The two sides have been broadly in agreement for months on the principle of a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, Hamas has always insisted that the deal must result in a permanent end to the fighting and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, on the other hand, has said it will not end the war until Hamas is dismantled.

The official told Reuters that the talks lasted from midnight until early Monday morning. US representatives pressured the Israeli delegation and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani pressured Hamas officials to finalize the deal.

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