Hamas informed Hezbollah it has agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza strip

Hamas informed Hezbollah that it agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The words were said in a meeting between Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and the man of the political arm of Hamas, Khalil al-Hiya.

At the end of the meeting, Nasrallah welcomed the decision. Earlier, in a statement issued by Hezbollah, it was stated that Nasrallah and al-Hiya discussed the latest developments in the negotiations.
An official in Hezbollah said that the organization will stop fighting as soon as the ceasefire comes into effect. According to him, "If there is an agreement in Gaza, then there will be a ceasefire in Lebanon."
An Israeli delegation led by the head of the Mossad left for Qatar today for talks to promote a deal for the release of the abductees. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu yesterday approved sending the delegation following Hamas' answer, which sources familiar with the talks said this week is "a mainly positive proposal that reflects the best formula the organization has agreed to so far, and it can serve as a basis for advancing the talks." However, Israeli and foreign sources expressed concern that Netanyahu might torpedo the deal later.
The chairman of the state camp, Benny Gantz, spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and told him that his party would give full backing to any responsible plan that would lead to the return of the abductees.

The hostage deal that returned to the headlines after the answer received from Hamas revolved around the proposal submitted by Israel and was adopted by US President Joe Biden as an outline. In his answer, Hamas did not give an unequivocal "yes" or "no" answer, but his comments indicate that he accepts in principle the deal. In previous times, the terrorist organization sent dozens of substantial reservations - which convinced the parties that it refused the deal.
Now, Hamas has changed its mind - and it seems that for the first time, it is interested in a deal. The parties, so it can be said, have concluded the principles of the deal - and now it is necessary to get down to the details and reach a written agreement, as was the case in the first deal in November. This task will be assigned to the head of the Mossad, Dedi Barnea, and the negotiating team, who will fly to Qatar. Sources privy to the details told Reuters that Barnea is expected to meet - today or Saturday - with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Muhammad al-Thani. Barnea will probably be joined by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar And the person responsible for the abductees issue on behalf of the IDF, Nitzan Alon.
Last night, after the cabinet meeting, a security consultation was convened with ministers Galant, Dermer, and Deri - where the delegation's mandate will be determined. Nitzan Alon also participated in the consultation, who did not participate in the discussion that took place earlier regarding the sending of the negotiating team because he was in a discussion with the Chief of Staff. The IDF said yesterday that the members of the negotiating team work in close cooperation, and that the details were agreed upon by all. The decision, according to the IDF, was made in coordination with the entire security establishment.
In Israel, since yesterday, Hamas' answer has been defined as the "best" received by the terrorist organization. And yet, there are still some stumbling blocks before the deal. One of them is Hamas's demand that Israel not have veto rights over the "heavy" prisoners. Another obstacle is Hamas's demand for an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphia Axis, and the wording around the commitment to end the war. Netanyahu, for his part, can say that the agreement allows Israel to return to fighting - and Hamas, for his part, can claim that the ceasefire will continue.
Officials familiar with the details said last night that overall, the general direction is closed. Now, according to them, "fine tuning" is required to close the details. "On the one hand, we can bring both the kidnapped and the elderly and the wounded, and on the other hand, we can return to the war," the sources said. "Others look at it as a return to war in order to defeat Hamas. It has no meaning because it is possible to return to war and everyone will put their interest in brackets."
Things, it seems, are solvable - and the agreement could be closed within two to three weeks, according to estimates in Israel. One of the questions that is on the agenda is whether there will be elements in Israel that will sabotage the deal for political reasons. Last night, senior security officials said that "the fear is that there will be elements that will try to torpedo the deal for political reasons, especially from the direction of Ben Gabir and Smotrich. They need to understand that Hamas sees them as a tool in the war and their opposition plays into their hands."
Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden. Vice President Kamala Harris also participated in the conversation, in what may be perceived as presenting a united American front to increase pressure on him. A senior White House official said after the conversation that Netanyahu and Biden spoke for half an hour, and discussed Among other things, in the abductee deal, the senior defined the Hamas answer as a "significant adjustment" on the part of the organization, which "moves the process forward and may provide the basis for closing a deal that will include the return of the abductees in the first instance."
He added that "we believe there is a significant opening here and we welcome the Prime Minister's readiness to take advantage of this opportunity." Despite this, he also clarified that the deal will not be closed in a few days. "There is more work to be done on the implementation steps and the transition from phase A to phase B, alongside a rehabilitation plan for rebuilding Gaza."
Biden, the official said, conveyed a clear message to Prime Minister Netanyahu during the conversation: "It's time to bring the deal to a close." According to him, "It is not entirely in the hands of Israel - but also in the hands of the mediators and in the hands of Hamas. We think that now there is a way forward. The conversation was constructive."