According to the American newspaper The Washington Post, Israel, Hamas and the United States have reached an agreement under which the terrorist group will release dozens of women and children hostage in the Gaza Strip in return for a fiveday break in the conflict.
Citing people familiar with the matter, without naming them, the newspaper said that under the terms of the agreement, all sides involved would pause attacks for five days, releasing 50 or more hostages in small groups every 24 hours would. According to the newspaper, the deal could begin in the next few days.
The agreed pause would also be made to allow a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, including fuel, across the border with Egypt.
According to the newspaper, the deal was forged during weeks of talks in Doha, Qatar, the country that mediates between the terror group and the United States and Israel. A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in Washington declined to comment.
The White House denied that there was already a finished agreement. “There is no agreement yet, but we continue to work hard to reach one,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
Netanyahu also denied the existence of a deal at a press conference. “There are many unproven rumors and many false reports in connection with the hostages. I would like to make it clear: so far there has been no agreement. But I want to promise: if there is something to say we will inform you about it,” said the Prime Minister of Israel.
This Sunday (19), the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman alThani, said in a press conference that only “small practical and logistical challenges” remained to conclude the pact, without elaborating.
The Israeli army killed two Palestinians during raids in the West Bank on Sunday (19), Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Israeli forces shot dead Issam AlFayed, a 46yearold disabled man, at the entrance to the Jenin refugee camp, the agency said. Another man, Omar Laham, 20, was shot in the head during clashes with soldiers in Dheisheh refugee camp south of Bethlehem, the agency said.
The agency said 15 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the central and southern Gaza Strip early Sunday.