Hamas: Netanyahu agreed to end the war after first phase of hostage deal is completed - report

Hamas sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to end the war following the completion of the first phase of a ceasefire deal.

Al Araby reported that there has been a “clear shift” in Netanyahu’s position regarding “the process of completing the war after the first stage [of a ceasefire deal].”

The article comes after KAN News reported that Qatar sent Israel “a positive message” regarding Hamas’s intentions to move forward in negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal.

A source from Hamas told the London-based news outlet that some of the changes were regarding agreements to postpone discussions on some contentious issues until later stages of the negotiations.

One of these issues was the removal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi corridor, which runs along the Egyptian border.

Hamas terrorists in front of a Doha, Qatar skyline. (Illustrative) (credit: Canva, KIRBY LEE-USA TODAY SPORTS, REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)

Hamas’s suggestion to postpone these discussions was reportedly supported by Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. The Hamas source praised Egypt’s “flexibility” regarding this issue.

Cairo believes Israeli control of the Gaza-Egypt border is a violation of the 1978 peace treaty. However, it has conceded to waiting to resolve this until after phase one of a ceasefire agreement, according to the Hamas source.

A clear shift for Netanyahu

Al Araby reported that Netanyahu’s position has shifted due to President-elect Donald Trump‘s threats that a deal should be reached before he takes office or that there will be “hell to pay.”

An Egyptian source told The New Arab that the new proposal would implement the deal in three time periods rather than phases and involve negotiations on releasing the hostages after a two-week period.

Egyptian sources believe that disagreements between Netanyahu and the security establishment over the ability of the IDF to act in Gaza have also contributed to the shift.