Hamas said to accept Israeli presence in Gaza for hostage deal, reportedly sends list of hostages to be released

Hamas has conceded on two key Israeli demands in the negotiations over a hostage release and ceasefire deal, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Shortly thereafter, Axios said that Israel’s Mossad director David Barnea had met with Qatar's prime minister in Doha on Wednesday, citing two officials who said that Hamas appeared to be open to implement the first stage of a potential deal.

For the first time, Hamas told mediators from Egypt and Qatar that it would agree to a deal that didn’t demand the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops, instead allowing them to stay in the Gaza Strip during part of the agreement, according to WSJ.

Israel so far insisted on keeping troops within Gaza for the duration of a ceasefire, and has rejected demands to end the war before any authority of Hamas in the Gaza Strip was destroyed.

In another concession, the terror group for the first time sent mediators a list of hostages, including some with U.S. citizenship, that it intends to release in a possible first stage of a deal.

The sides are currently discussing the idea of starting a ceasefire with a 60-day period during which up to 30 hostages, including U.S. citizens, would be released.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday that “there is a chance at the moment for a new deal that hopefully leads to the release of all hostages, including Americans.”

The negotiations progressed quickly in recent days, after Israel and Egypt presented a new draft outline to Hamas leaders last week. On Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar traveled to Cairo to meet Egyptian mediators.

A senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Hamas seems willing to secure a deal amid the tectonic shifts in the region, including the ceasefire in Lebanon and the fall of the Asad regime. “Two weeks ago I thought Hamas didn’t want a deal,” the official stated. “Now I am inclined to think that it has changed its mind.” 

On Wednesday, Barnea met with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, prime minister of Qatar, which has apparently resumed its mediating role, two sources familiar with the visit told Axios.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan arrived in Israel on Thursday for the first leg of a Middle East tour that is set to include stops in Qatar and Egypt.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said Sullivan met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top officials in Jerusalem, amid reports that the Biden administration is pressuring all sides to reach a deal before the end of its term.

According to the sources cited by Axios, Sullivan seeks to reach an agreement “within days and start implementing it as soon as possible.”

In another development indicating possible progress, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which also holds Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, announced that a delegation led by its leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah were invited to Cairo to discuss a potential deal.

“Returning the hostages is our commitment and an important element in victory. We will not rest or remain silent,” Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen commented on reports of progress in the talks.

“At the same time, we say clearly - we will have security control in Gaza that will guarantee us freedom to act against any terrorist nest. As part of the deal we will not allow the possibility of rehabilitation, of allowing Hamas to come and do [another] October 7.”