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‘Strong Chance’ of Hostage Deal, Israeli, US Officials Say
Thousands of Jews gather for a mass prayer for the hostages in Gaza at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, Jan. 10, 2024. Photo: Yaacov Cohen
The United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel are nearing an agreement on a deal that could temporarily halt hostilities in Gaza and secure the return of the hostages, US and Israeli officials said on Sunday.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN in an interview that representatives from the four countries met in Paris and “came to an understanding about what the basic contours for a hostage deal and for a temporary ceasefire would look like.”
Israeli lawmaker on Sunday Aryeh Deri told the Kikar HaShabbat news site that there was a “strong chance” that a hostage deal would happen but that it would take time. According to Deri, Hamas had not yet responded to the terms of the deal.
Meanwhile, the state-affiliated Egyptian Al Qahera News network on Sunday reported that talks were continuing in Doha and “would be followed by meetings in Cairo.”
Sullivan expressed his hope that “in the coming days” there would be a final agreement on the table.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stopped short of confirming that a deal was on the offing and said that that for the discussions to progress, Hamas must adopt a more “reasonable” stance.
In a separate statement to CBS News, Netanyahu discussed Israel’s strategic military considerations, including plans for civilian evacuation in Gaza and military actions against Hamas forces, indicating that these plans would proceed regardless of the negotiation outcomes.
“If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen. If we don’t have a deal, we’ll do it anyway,” he told CBS “Face the Nation.”
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri responded by saying that Netanyahu’s comments proved the Israeli leader “is not concerned about reaching an agreement.”
Netanyahu wants “to pursue negotiation under bombardment and the bloodshed” of Palestinians in Gaza, Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
Separately on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces announced the death of soldier Sgt. Oz Daniel, 19, who was killed on October 7 along with the rest of his tank crew and his body taken to Gaza. His body is still being held by Hamas.
It marked the fourth IDF death announced over the weekend. Staff-Sgt. Narya Belete, 21, a soldier in the elite Givati reconnaissance unit, Staff-Sgt. Eli Zrihen, 20, from the same unit, and Major Eyal Shuminov, a 24-year-old company commander in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade, were all killed in Gaza on Saturday, the IDF said.
A statement by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum noted that Daniel was a skilled guitar player who loved the rock band Guns N’ Roses who “loved life, loved people, had a great sense of humor and a contagious smile.”
He left behind his parents and a twin brother, Hadar.
Of the 253 people abducted to Gaza, the IDF has confirmed the deaths of 31, among them Daniel.
The post ‘Strong Chance’ of Hostage Deal, Israeli, US Officials Say first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy
Thomas Barrack at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., November 4, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
i24 News – Lebanon’s daunting social, economic and political issues would not get resolved unless the state persists in the efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy behind so much of the unrest and destruction, special US envoy Tom Barrack told The National.
“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical Arabic name for the region sometimes known as “larger Syria.”
The official stressed the need to follow through on promises to disarm the Iranian proxy, which suffered severe blows from Israel in the past year, including the elimination of its entire leadership, and is considered a weakened though still dangerous jihadist outfit.
“There are issues that we have to arm wrestle with each other over to come to a final conclusion. Remember, we have an agreement, it was a great agreement. The problem is, nobody followed it,” he told The National.
Barrack spoke on the heels of a trip to Beirut, where he proposed a diplomatic plan for the region involving the full disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese state.
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Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a cultural forum dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 11, 2024. Photo: Sputnik/Alexander Scherbak/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian leadership that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, the Axios website reported on Saturday. The Russian strongman also relayed the message to his American counterpart, President Donald Trump, the report said.
Iranian news agency Tasnim issued a denial, citing an “informed source” as saying Putin had not sent any message to Iran in this regard.
Also on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Any negotiated solution must respect Iran’s right to enrichment. No agreement without recognizing our right to enrichment. If negotiations occur, the only topic will be the nuclear program. No other issues, especially defense or military matters, will be on the agenda.”
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Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool
i24 News – Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is attending at least one meeting with Israeli officials in Azerbaijan today, despite sources in Damascus claiming he wasn’t attending, a Syrian source close to President Al-Sharaa tells i24NEWS.
The Syrian source stated that this is a series of two or three meetings between the sides, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also in attendance, along with Ahmed Al-Dalati, the Syrian government’s liaison for security meetings with Israel.
The high-level Israeli delegation includes a special envoy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as security and military figures.
The purpose of the meetings is to discuss further details of the security agreement to be signed between Israel and Syria, the Iranian threat in Syria and Lebanon, Hezbollah’s weapons, the weapons of Palestinian militias, the Palestinians camps in Lebanon, and the future of Palestinian refugees from Gaza in the region.
The possibility of opening an Israeli coordination office in Damascus, without diplomatic status, might also be discussed.
The source stated that the decision to hold the meetings in Azerbaijan, made by Israel and the US, is intended to send a message to Iran.
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