In a news conference this evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called for his government to back a deal with Hamas that would pause combat for several days and free some of the captives held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Officials for Israel, Hamas, the U.S. and Qatar, which brokered the negotiations, all said today that a deal appeared within reach.
The deal would also include a brief cease-fire of at least four days.
If a deal is approved tonight, the hostages might not be released until Thursday at the earliest in order to allow 24 hours for Israeli judges to review potential legal challenges.
The releases, officials said, would most likely be spread over at least four days.
Persons:
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, ” Netanyahu
Organizations:
Hamas
Locations:
Gaza, Israel, U.S, Qatar