Despite the atmosphere indicating that the talks for a hostage deal with Hamas are stalled, senior Israeli officials said last night (Sunday) that “the negotiations continue all the time.” They also said that although disagreements remain, the target date is January 20, the inauguration day of Donald Trump as President of the United States, as reported by Ynet.
“There is still a chance to reach a deal, but we are dependent on the whim of one person”
“The negotiations for a hostage deal continue all the time. There is still a chance to reach a deal, but we are dependent on the whim of one person, “Mohammed Sinwar,” the officials stated, and according to them, “It is also possible that there will be no deal at all. Hamas is ready for a deal, but on its terms.” It should be noted that Mohammed Sinwar has been involved in numerous terrorist attacks since the early 1990s, especially since the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000. In the past, Israel has tried several times to assassinate him. Since October 2024, following the deaths of Mohammed Deif and his brother Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed is considered the leader of Hamas’s military wing in the Gaza Strip and the highest-ranking figure in the region.
According to the report, within the negotiation team, there is still cautious optimism regarding the current talks for a deal, and despite Hamas’s refusal to present lists of hostages, progress has been made on the issue. The negotiation team believes that within a week, it will be possible to understand whether a hostage deal will be executed.
