Hamas Leader Reveals Almost Reaching Ceasefire Deal, Senior Israeli Official Gives Hostage Release Code

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. (Wikimedia Commons/council.gov.ru)

JAKARTA - The leader of the militant group Hamas said it was close to reaching a ceasefire agreement, while on the other hand the Israeli side gave the code of release of hostages, as the war in the Gaza Strip had entered its seventh week.

In a statement sent to Reuters by his aide Tuesday, as quoted November 21, Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh said his party "almost reached a ceasefire agreement" with Israel, with the group having submitted its response to Qatar mediators, Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement sent to Reuters by his aide.

The statement did not provide further details. However, a Hamas official told Al Jazeera TV the negotiations were centered on how long the ceasefire would last, arrangements for aid deliveries to Gaza and Israeli hostage exchanges detained by Hamas with Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Both sides will release women and children and details will be announced by Qatar, who mediated in the negotiations, said the official, Issat el Reshiq.

Separately, the Channel 12 news television network, citing a senior Israeli official, said, "we are close to reaching an agreement" for the release of several hostages in Gaza, as quoted by The Times of Israel.

Given that there are still technical issues to be resolved, the official said there was an agreement that at least 50 people would be released, while dozens more could be released in exchange for the extension of the ceasefire for more than a few days.

Those who will be released are thought to be children, their mother and other women, the report said.

It is known that Hamas was said to have taken about 240 people hostage after an attack on Israel's southern region on October 7 which killed about 1,200 people.