Israel’s Security Cabinet is preparing for what officials described as a decisive 24-hour period in the ongoing negotiations for a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides face mounting international pressure to reach an agreement.
Cabinet members said the government is giving the negotiations a genuine chance and that a final decision is expected by late Sunday, after which Israel will decide whether to go ahead with its planned military escalation in Gaza. "This isn’t a game or a performance," one official said. "A decision will need to be made, one way or the other." The cabinet is scheduled to meet Sunday afternoon.
At the center of the talks is the so-called "Witkoff framework," which has reportedly been agreed upon in principle. Under the proposed deal, Hamas would release 10 living hostages in exchange for a ceasefire lasting between 40 and 50 days. On the tenth day of the truce, Hamas would provide a detailed list of the remaining hostages and their conditions. Negotiations would then continue during the cease-fire on a broader agreement to end the war and release additional hostages, both living and deceased.
Israeli officials said they are open to minor changes in the framework but will reject any substantial modifications. “We won’t allow them to drag this out,” one said.
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A senior Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in continuous contact throughout the day with the Israeli negotiating team in Doha, as well as with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The conversations have focused on persuading Hamas to abandon its refusal to compromise and advancing a deal for the hostages' release.
Instructed by Netanyahu, the Israeli team will remain in Qatar for now in order to exhaust every possibility to secure the hostages' freedom, the official said.
A central point of contention remains Hamas’ refusal to disarm. While the United States has signaled support for a phased disarmament of Gaza, Israel is demanding a swift and complete process.
Despite continued mediation efforts, both Israel and Hamas remain entrenched in their positions.