Cairo (TDI): Hamas and two other Palestinian groups said on Saturday that a Gaza ceasefire agreement with Israel is “closer than ever”, if Israel does not impose new conditions.
Last week, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, the US and Egypt, took place in Doha, renewing hopes for a potential deal.
“The chance of reaching a deal and prisoner exchange is closer than ever, if the enemy refrains from imposing new conditions,” Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in a rare joint statement issued after negotiations in Cairo on Friday.
A Hamas leader said on Saturday that recent discussions had achieved “substantial progress”, AFP reported.
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“Most points concerning the ceasefire and prisoner exchange have been agreed upon,” the agency reported quoting the official as saying.
He mentioned that the deal could be finalized before year-end, if it is not hindered new conditions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed being “hopeful” about an agreement but refrained from predicting its timeline.
