Gaza Ceasefire Talks 90% Complete – Palestinian Official

Talks to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas are 90% complete, but key issues remain that need to be bridged, a senior Palestinian official involved in the talks told the BBC.

One of the main sticking points is the continued Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi corridor, a strategically important strip of land in southern Gaza along the border with Egypt.

The Palestinian official shared details of the discussions being held in Doha which include the potential creation of a buffer zone several kilometres wide along the length of Israel’s border with Gaza.

Israel would retain a military presence within this area, the official said.

With these issues resolved, a three-stage ceasefire could be agreed within days, they added.

The deal would include an exchange of 20 Palestinian prisoners for every female soldier released in the first of three stages of the ceasefire.

The names of the prisoners are yet to be agreed but would be chosen from around 400 names who are serving prison sentences of 25 years or more in Israel.

These are not thought to include the senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, whose release Israel is expected to veto.

Israeli hostages would be released in stages, as it is believed that Hamas still need to locate some of the missing hostages.

Out of 96 hostages still held in Gaza, 62 are assumed by Israel to still be alive.
Gazan civilians would be able to return to the north, under a system with Egyptian/Qatari oversight, and there would be around 500 trucks per day bringing aid into the strip, the official said.

In the final stage of the three-phase plan, which would see the end of the 14-month war, Gaza would be overseen by a committee of technocrats from the enclave, who would not have previous political affiliations but would have the backing of all Palestinian factions.

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BBC/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma