Gaza war, today in Doha the decisive day for the Israel-Hamas agreement

Mossad chief David Barnea today in Doha, Qatar, for what according to Palestinian sources cited by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed will be ”a decisive day for negotiations” on hostages and the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The Ynet website writes it.

The Palestinian source quoted on condition of anonymity by the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed explained that the parties have managed to bridge their differences and are awaiting the green light from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuwho called his ministers to a security meeting at 5pm local time, 4pm in Italy.

The Israeli prime minister’s office did not confirm Barnea’s trip to Doha, nor whether hostage talks are on the agenda of the meeting in the coming hours. Among other things, three Israeli sources told the Kan television station on condition of anonymity that there had been some progress over the weekend, but no breakthrough.

Israel denies Hamas, has not provided hostage list

Israel has meanwhile denied reports that the Palestinian group Hamas had approved a list of 34 hostages to be released in the first phase of a hostage deal. This is what ‘The Times of Israel’ finds. “At the moment, Hamas has not provided a list of hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. According to the broadcaster ‘N12’ Hamas presented a list, but did not indicate who is alive and who is not.

White House envoy to Doha

The White House envoy for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, also arrived in Doha yesterday, an American official announced. Hopes are thus growing that the talks could lead to a last minute agreement before Donald Trump takes office in the White House, overcoming the differences that until now seemed insurmountable.

Immunity for Hamas leader and guarantees on Gaza

According to the Saudi newspaper Al-Hadath, the agreement which is in the pipeline provides for a temporary ceasefire for the Gaza Strip lasting two or three months.

Furthermore, Al-Hadath writes, the agreement would provide for the guarantee of immunity for Hamas leadersso that Israel does not attack them. It would also recognize that Arab and Western countries manage the Gaza Strip together with Palestinian groups.

Newborn dies of cold in Gaza, the eighth

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening more and more. A newborn, the eighth, died in the Strip from hypothermia. This was announced by the broadcaster al-Jazeera, reporting that the drastic drop in temperatures, up to 10 degrees below zero, is proving lethal for the little ones in the Palestinian enclave. The refugee camps where the population has taken refuge due to displacement are without heating.

UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for assisting Palestinian refugees, wrote on ‘X’ that up to 7,700 newborns in the war-torn territories are living in inadequate accommodation due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. In December, four newborns died from the cold in the Gaza Strip, including a little girl on Christmas Day, as reported by the Wafa news agency. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have lost their homes due to the conflict.

Islamic Jihad commander who participated in 7/10 killed

The IDF announced that it had killed the commander of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad company and deputy head of the group’s missile division, Saad Said Zaki Dahnon, who took part in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel. His killing occurred during a close clash with the Israeli military in Jabalia, in northern Gaza, explains the IDF.