Israel is hopeful that a significant number of hostages currently held on the Gaza strip could be released by Hamas “in coming days.”
The Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog made the statement in an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
The comments come amid reports the United States is engaged in working towards a tentative agreement between Israel and Hamas to free dozens of hostages in Gaza in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting.
“I’m hopeful we can have a deal in the coming days,” Herzog said.
Hamas took about 240 hostages during its deadly cross-border rampage into Israeli communities on Oct. 7, which prompted Israel to lay siege to Gaza and invade the Palestinian territory.
Reuters reported that Qatari mediators had been seeking a deal between Israel and Hamas to exchange 50 hostages in return for a three-day ceasefire, citing an official briefed on the talks. At the time, the official said general outlines had been agreed but Israel had still been negotiating details.
Today the Washington Post reported the deal was imminent, quoting people familiar with the detailed, six-page agreement.
Under the agreement, all parties would freeze combat operations for at least five days while 50 or more hostages are released in groups every 24 hours, the Post reported.
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Sunday that he had growing confidence that a hostage deal would be reached between Israel and Hamas.
“The challenges facing the agreement are just practical and logistical,” Sheikh Mohammed said, adding that the challenges that remained were “very minor.”
However, both Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House have said no deal has been officially reached yet.
“No deal yet but we continue to work hard to get a deal,” the White House’s National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
Mr Netanyahu told a press conference on Saturday evening: “Concerning the hostages, there are many unsubstantiated rumours, many incorrect reports. I would like to make it clear: As of now, there has been no deal. But I want to promise: When there is something to say we will report to you about it.”
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