Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson, Omer Dostri, denied the reports that Netanyahu was on his way to Cairo for hostage deal negotiations in a post to X/Twitter on Tuesday.
“Contrary to the wave of rumors, Prime Minister Netanyahu is not in Cairo.”
בניגוד לגל השמועות – ראש הממשלה נתניהו לא נמצא בקהיר, ואין חדש בעניין אלי כהן ז״ל.
— עומר דוסטרי – Omer Dostri (@omerdos) December 17, 2024
This statement followed an earlier Reuters report that the prime minister was on his way to Cairo for hostage deal negotiations, which is reportedly expected to be signed in the coming days, sources briefed on the talks reported.
An Egyptian source also denied reports that Netanyahu would be visiting Cairo, according to Egyptian state-owned news agency Al-Ahram.
Following this announcement, Hamas stated that they affirmed the “serious and positive discussions” that took place in Doha with Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
“Reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is possible if the occupation refrains from setting new conditions,” Hamas stated.
National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby commented on the development, saying, “We are getting closer to a Gaza ceasefire deal” in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.
Additionally, hostage talks were in a “decisive and final phase,” a senior Palestinian official involved in indirect negotiations told BBC.
Along with Netanyahu flying to Cairo, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Egypt before heading to the Vatican, Hezbollah-affiliated news network Al-Mayadeen reported.
What could the hostage deal include?
This report follows Hamas reportedly ceding its requests demanding that Israeli troops withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and the war ends in the framework of a hostage deal, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing an official for the terror group.
The deal will reportedly include a 60-day pause in the conflict and the release of the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
However, the official noted that Hamas still demanded that Palestinians be allowed to return to the north of the Gaza Strip.
“There is a noticeable shift in public opinion,” a Hamas member was quoted as saying by the publication, adding, “There is now a strong desire to end the war at any cost.”
On Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said a hostage deal was closer than ever.
Such a remark was reiterated by a senior Hamas official, cited in the Saudi news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat.
“We are closer than ever to reaching a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire, provided that Netanyahu does not obstruct the agreement,” he reportedly said.
Sam Halpern and Raquel Guertzenstein Frohlich contributed to this report.
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