{"id":610407,"date":"2023-11-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2023\/11\/20\/qatar-us-talk-up-chances-of-hamas-israel-hostage-pact\/"},"modified":"2023-11-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T00:00:00","slug":"qatar-us-talk-up-chances-of-hamas-israel-hostage-pact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2023\/11\/20\/qatar-us-talk-up-chances-of-hamas-israel-hostage-pact\/","title":{"rendered":"Qatar, US talk up chances of Hamas-Israel hostage pact"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fighting is continuing in Gaza City this morning<\/strong> as Israeli forces push into the densely populated refugee camps in the north of the city, where Hamas is reportedly engaged in a guerilla war against the IDF. Meanwhile, there\u2019s yet more speculation about the potential for a hostages-for-temporary ceasefire pact between the two sides, and Israel is continuing to build its case for besieging Gaza\u2019s largest hospital.<\/p>\n

The will they \/ won\u2019t they status of the hostage negotiations continues:<\/strong> There are conflicting claims that a Qatari-mediated agreement is nearing completion, which would reportedly see 50 hostages being released by Hamas in exchange for a three-day ceasefire and possibly the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons, according to Reuters<\/a>. The main sticking points blocking the agreement were \u201cvery minor\u201d and concerning practical, logistical matters, Qatari Prime Minister Al Thani said at a joint press conference with the EU\u2019s Josep Borrell in Doha. \u201cWe think [the agreement] is possible, but it is not done yet,\u201d a Biden administration official said<\/a> on the fast-evolving matter.<\/p>\n

Almost a week in, Israel is yet to provide evidence of the Hamas mega base underneath <\/strong>Al Shifa:<\/strong> The IDF released a video (pdf)<\/a> yesterday claiming to have found a tunnel used by Hamas hidden underneath a garage at the hospital complex. The director of the Gaza Health Ministry dismissed<\/a> the claim as a \u201cpure lie.\u201d Since raiding Al Shifa over a week ago, Israel has failed to provide any evidence<\/a> to support their long-held claim that Hamas operated a large command center underneath the hospital. The military\u2019s siege has all but destroyed Al Shifa as a functioning hospital, with a visiting UN team calling it a \u201c death zone<\/a> \u201d after visiting on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Another Israeli minister calls for <\/strong>ethnic cleansing<\/strong>: <\/strong>Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel has become the latest<\/a> senior government official to call for the \u201cvoluntary resettlement\u201d of Palestinians outside of Gaza. In an opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post<\/a>, the minister calls for a \u201cworldwide refugee resettlement scheme\u201d that would give Gazans \u201cwho seek a life elsewhere\u201d an opportunity to leave the strip. \u201cInstead of funneling money to rebuild Gaza or the failed UNRWA, the international community should be helping the people of Gaza build new lives in their new host countries,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

ON THE GROUND- <\/strong>MSF<\/a>: At least 70 dead in Khan Younis airstrike | Palestinian Red Crescent, World Health Organization evacuate 31 premature babies<\/a> from Al Shifa, 11 in critical condition<\/a> | Eight babies died after Israel cut electricity, fuel to the hospital.<\/p>\n

AID- <\/strong>The Tahya Misr Fund has sent 199 aid trucks<\/a> | France will send 10 tons<\/a> of medical supplies and a second hospital ship.<\/p>\n

DIPLOMACY- <\/strong>Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks<\/a> with the Qatari international cooperation minister | Qatar\u2019s prime minister will visit Russia and the UK<\/a> on Tuesday to push for a ceasefire. <\/p>\n

REGIONAL ESCALATION-<\/strong> The Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthi movement said it hijacked<\/a> an Israeli cargo ship in the Red Sea, taking over 25 crew members hostage | Israel denied<\/a> that the ship is Israeli | An Iran-backed militia in Iraq said its strikes against US targets are aimed at \u201c draining the enemy<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

YESTERDAY IN NUMBERS-<\/strong><\/p>\n