Report: Ceasefire deal with Israel is close, says Hamas leader

Ismail Haniyeh, chairperson of Hamas’ political bureau, says the Palestinian militant group is close to agreeing a ceasefire deal with Israel.

Haniyeh spoke in a statement sent to Reuters on Tuesday.

Although the statement provided no details, another Hamas official told Xinhua, a Chinese media outfit, that the agreement will be announced in Qatar, where Haniyeh, who is also a Palestinian politician, resides.

“We are close to reaching an agreement in the coming hours, and the movement has delivered its response to the mediators,” the Hamas official who requested anonymity according to Xinhua, said.

The official added that the negotiations were centred on how long the ceasefire would last, arrangements for delivery of aid to Gaza and the exchange of Israeli captives held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

The report said the ceasefire deal, according to the sources, will last for five days and includes the release of 50 civilians and foreign nationals held by Hamas in exchange for the release of 300 Palestinian detainees, including children and women, held by Israel.

Xinhua added that the sources indicated that the release of prisoners will take place in stages, at a rate of 10 Israeli prisoners per day compared with that of 30 Palestinian prisoners.

Although there has been no official confirmation from the Jewish nation, Times of Israel reports that an Israeli senior official affirmed the closing in of the truce but added that “any threat to Israeli forces that is identified will immediately be attacked even during the ceasefire”.

Two weeks ago, the White House said Israel reportedly agreed to a daily four-hour pauses in the northern Gaza Strip to enable civilians flee the ongoing hostilities.

Israel did not confirm the agreement.