Sources say Hamas has eased some demands as talks progress on hostages and Gaza ceasefire

(CNN) — Hamas has backed away from some key demands during talks on a hostage deal and an end to fighting in Gaza.

It follows Israeli accusations that the militant group’s position was “illusory”, and brings the negotiating parties closer to an initial agreement that could halt the fighting and release a group of Israeli hostages, the talks said. Two sources familiar with the matter say. Discussion.

Following Friday’s meeting in Paris between the chiefs, a senior Biden administration official told CNN, “The main obstacles have been resolved in terms of Hamas insisting on the full withdrawal of Israeli forces and ending the war.” Intelligence from the United States, the Prime Ministers of Egypt, Israel and Qatar.

“Hamas’s requirements regarding the number of Palestinians (prisoners) to be released have been reduced,” the official said.

A diplomatic source familiar with the discussions confirmed that Hamas relaxed its position before the first phase of the deal could be agreed upon. However, challenging obstacles are expected to arise later, when complex issues such as the release of male IDF hostages by Hamas and the end of the war will be discussed.

People involved in the discussions have said that an agreement would be implemented in several phases and that once an initial agreement is reached there could be a six-week-long cease-fire that would include the release of women, children, veterans and a group of Israeli hostages. Will be released. Ill. in exchange for a smaller number of Palestinian prisoners than Hamas had initially demanded.

The second phase is where discussions are expected to become even more complex.

During the ceasefire, talks will take place on more sensitive issues such as the release of Israeli soldiers held hostage, Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences, withdrawal of Israeli forces and a permanent end to the war, etc. -called “the day after tomorrow”

Israeli leaders have made clear that they intend to launch a military offensive in Rafah, while in an earlier resolution Hamas said they wanted to discuss “necessities necessary to continue the mutual cessation of military operations”. Want to use the second step.

The country teams that met in Paris on Friday will meet in Doha on Monday to discuss the specifics of the broad topics discussed on Friday, a sign of progress.

“We have made progress in these negotiations over the weekend and over the past few days in an effort to reach an agreement to release the hostages and ensure a temporary ceasefire,” State Department spokesman Matt Miller said Monday.

“We believe an agreement is possible and we will continue to pursue it,” Miller said at a department briefing.

Miller said that if Hamas “really cares about the Palestinian people, they should accept the deal that is on the table because it would greatly alleviate the suffering of those Palestinian people.”

On Sunday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan declined to elaborate on the terms being discussed, but said Friday’s meeting in Paris would result in “the basic framework of a hostage agreement for a temporary ceasefire.” An understanding was reached between all four.”

“Qatar and Egypt will have to have indirect negotiations with Hamas because ultimately they will have to agree to the release of the hostages,” Sullivan told CNN. “That work is going on. And we hope that in the next few days we can get to a point where there will actually be a firm and definite consensus on this issue. But we will have to wait and see.”

Israel confirmed on Monday it would send a team to Doha, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appeared more receptive to the status of talks than in recent weeks.

“They have to come back to reality,” Netanyahu said of Hamas on Fox News. “And I think if that’s the case, we’ll be able to reach an agreement that we certainly want and that I want.”

Netanyahu is facing intense pressure from the Israeli public to release more than 130 hostages remaining in Gaza, including the bodies of many people believed to be no longer alive.

The embattled prime minister also reiterated that he plans to order Israeli troops to enter Rafah, which the United States has warned it opposes, without a concrete plan to combat the nearly 1.5 million troops concentrated there. Million takes into account the safety of Palestinians, many of whom have fled. Battle further north.

With or without the hostage deal, “We will do it anyway,” Netanyahu told CBS News, because “our goal is complete victory.”

“Without dealing with Hamas, we cannot give up its last bastion,” Netanyahu said.