Israeli foreign minister claims progress in hostage exchange deal with Hamas

JERUSALEM

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar claimed on Sunday that there are indications of progress in a potential hostage exchange deal with Palestinians.

“There are indications regarding a cease-fire with (Palestinian group) Hamas. We may see a greater degree of flexibility on their part. In my opinion, we will know in the coming days,” Sa’ar told a conference hosted by the daily Israel Hayom.

“I hope it will succeed in moving forward," he said.

The Israeli minister insisted that Hamas will not be allowed to regain control of Gaza after the war.

On Saturday, a Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials for Gaza cease-fire talks.

Reports suggested that Egypt was working to reconcile Palestinian rival groups Hamas and Fatah, while simultaneously pushing for a cease-fire deal.

According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Hamas might be open to a phased agreement, similar to the Lebanon cease-fire, which would involve an incremental Israeli withdrawal from Gaza rather than the immediate pullout.

The Israeli opposition, families of the hostages, and a large portion of the Israeli public have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a deal with Hamas for the return of the hostages and the end of the Gaza war.

They argue that Netanyahu fears losing his government due to threats from far-right ministers to withdraw from the coalition if such a deal is struck.

Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the war.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last October, killing nearly 44,400 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 105,000.

The second year of the genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi.