Middle East crisis: Hostage release deal likely on Tuesday, say officials

Washington, Nov 21 – A comprehensive deal to release Hamas held hostages in Gaza in barter for cessation of hostilities could be struck even as the Prime Minister’s office in Tel Aviv will hold a meeting on Tuesday to thrash out the details of such an agreement with the militant outfit.

A deal to release hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a pause in the fighting could be struck as soon as today (Tuesday), multiple officials told CNN.

“Israel’s war cabinet will meet Tuesday… amid developments on the issue of freeing the hostages,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.

Netanyahu indicated on Tuesday that progress was made on the possible release of Hamas held hostages in Gaza.

“We are making progress. I don’t think it’s worth saying more, even at this moment, but I hope there will be good news soon,” Netanyahu said as he met with reservists.

Israel, Hamas and the US are on the brink of announcing a deal for Hamas to free the hostages, mainly women and children, abducted on October 7 attacks in exchange for a four-to-five day truce.

This would also include three Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons for every hostage released, according to people involved in the negotiations.

The deal could be announced on Tuesday.

US officials said the deal is not yet done fully, but they are optimistic difficult work is about to pay off with the release of the hostages, CNN said.

Any hostage release deal clinched on Tuesday cannot be implemented immediately as it takes a day or two to start the process as there are legal procedures that Israel must follow before releasing any Palestinian prisoners.

Those prisoners are expected to be women and adolescents, media reports said.

Israel’s leadership is under huge domestic pressure to secure the hostages’ release.