Topline
Negotiators from Hamas may accept a cease-fire deal on Sunday, after weeks of negotiations have led to a tentative agreement with the Israeli government—but the Israeli delegation reportedly boycotted the talks after Hamas refused to provide a complete list of hostages they would release.
The tentative deal could see dozens of hostages freed for a six-week truce in the Gaza Strip.
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Key Facts
The cease-fire negotiations in Cairo will resume on Sunday, where Hamas leaders are expected to confirm or reject the framework for a truce in exchange for the release of hostages, the first since a previous cease-fire expired on Dec. 1.
However, the talks may already be in jeopardy after the Israeli delegation reportedly boycotted Sunday’s meeting after Hamas refused to provide them with a complete list of hostages that would be released as part of the deal.
Israeli officials told local media that the Palestinian militant group refuses to give them “clear answers,” Reuters reported.
U.S. officials had previously told reporters the Israelis had “more or less accepted” the deal that was presented to Hamas officials on Sunday.
The deal would include a six-week truce in Gaza, allowing much-needed humanitarian aid to reach the territory’s population, who are now under threat of famine.
The tentative deal would include the release of “vulnerable” hostages held by Hamas, including sick, wounded and elderly remaining among the roughly 136 people still held captive in Gaza.
“Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can,” a White House official told reporters under condition of anonymity.
What To Watch For
It’s unclear how many hostages Hamas would release under the cease-fire. The militant group took about 250 people hostage after the attacks on October 7. About 112 were released during the first cease-fire, leaving an estimated 136 hostages. However, earlier this month Israeli officials estimated potentially one-fifth of the remaining hostages have died in Hamas custody, the New York Times reported, citing the Israeli military. The military has confirmed the deaths of 32 hostages, and the report details intelligence indicating another 20 have since died. On Sunday, Axios reported the deal will likely free roughly 40 hostages—one hostage for each day of the cease-fire.
Key Background
Sunday’s potential cease-fire deal comes after a week of mounting pressure to negotiate a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins on March 10. On Tuesday, the U.N. announced famine was “almost inevitable in the territory,” and warned that northern Gaza could see a “complete agricultural collapse” by May. Two days later, about 100 Palestinian civilians were killed and hundreds more injured while trying to reach food being delivered in a humanitarian convoy. The Palestinian officials blamed the deaths on Israeli soldiers, who reportedly fired into the crowd in order to disperse them. A review by the Israeli Defense Force released on Sunday claimed the civilians were killed in a stampede.
Tangent
President Joe Biden is also facing increasing pressure to help facilitate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. On Tuesday, thousands of people in the crucial swing state of Michigan, which is home to the largest Arab American population in the country, voted “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary, protesting the president’s response to the war in Gaza. On Friday, Biden announced the U.S. military would begin a humanitarian relief mission to drop much-needed aid to civilians in Gaza. The next day, U.S. and Jordanian forces dropped about 38,000 meals in the first round of supplies.
Big Number
30,000. That’s the estimated number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
Further Reading MORE FROM FORBES U.S. Begins Air-Dropping Aid In Gaza By James Farrell
MORE FROM FORBES More Than 100 Palestinians Killed While Waiting For Food In Gaza, Health Ministry Says By Ty Roush MORE FROM FORBES Gaza Death Toll Passes 30,000, Hamas-Run Health Ministry Says By Robert Hart
