Hamas agrees to hostage deal with IDF still in Gaza

(JNS) — Hamas has agreed to two of Israel’s key conditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, raising hopes for an agreement to release hostages within days, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Hamas for the first time agreed to accept the presence of Israeli forces in Gaza during a 60-day truce, the newspaper quoted unnamed Arab mediators as saying. The sources also confirmed to the paper reports from earlier in the week that Hamas had submitted a list of hostages, including U.S. citizens, whom it would release.

The purported breakthrough follows a threat on Dec. 3 by President-elect Donald Trump that there would be “hell to pay” unless the hostages were freed by the time he assumed office on Jan. 20.

Since a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023, in which Hamas released 105 civilians—81 people from Israel, 23 Thais and one Filipino—in exchange for 240 terrorists, it had spurned ceasefire proposals that did not include a full pullback by Israeli troops from Gaza. But the IDF’s continued offensive in Gaza, and blows sustained by key Hamas allies in the region, may have softened its stance.

The proposed agreement, backed by the U.S. and Egypt, includes a 60-day ceasefire, during which up to 30 hostages, including U.S. citizens, would be released.

In exchange, Israel would free Palestinian terrorists and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel and Hamas negotiators have engaged in talks in Cairo, while U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is in the region to support the discussions.