Qatar talks show 'high likelihood' of hostage release, ceasefire

Tel Aviv [Israel], January 14 (ANI/TPS): Talks in Qatar aimed at reaching a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas are progressing with an Arab source telling The Press Service of Israel on Tuesday there is a "high likelihood of success."
According to the source, discussions focus on the release of Palestinian prisoners, with Israel seeking to have those serving life sentences deported to countries such as Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt.
However, the fate of prominent figure Marwan Barghouti remains unclear, with no official resolution reached yet. Hamas is also seeking eased conditions for prisoners who remain in Israeli custody after the agreement.
The source stated that while Hamas has yet to make a formal comment on the proposed outline, it is expected to claim a "great victory" when the agreement is finalized.
Further signalling the likelihood of an agreement, representatives from the Hostage Families Forum were due to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday afternoon.
Under the terms of the emerging ceasefire, it is expected that the first 33 hostages to be released will be humanitarian cases -- women, children, elderly and sick. Palestinians from northern Gaza who fled to southern areas of the Strip will be allowed to return to their homes. Israeli forces will not withdraw from the Strip until all the hostages are freed.
Opponents of the agreement are against any deal that does not bring home all the hostages at once.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 95 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014. (ANI/TPS)