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Israel, Hamas Near Ceasefire; Trump Warns of Sanctions if Hostages Not Freed by Jan. 20

Jan 13, 2025, 08:28 AM

Significant progress has been made in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas toward a ceasefire and hostage release deal, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Talks are being held in Doha, where a "final draft" of the agreement has reportedly been sent to both parties for approval, following a breakthrough achieved after midnight discussions between Israeli intelligence chiefs, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and Qatar's Prime Minister. However, Israeli officials have denied receiving such a draft. President-elect Donald Trump and his Vice President-elect JD Vance have issued strong warnings to Hamas, threatening "very aggressive sanctions and financial penalties" if hostages are not released before Trump's inauguration on January 20. Trump emphasized that "all hell will break loose" if the deadline is not met. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledged progress in the talks, stating that Israel is "working hard" to reach a deal. Meanwhile, Hamas has indicated that they are "on the verge" of freeing prisoners. Despite internal opposition within the Israeli government, with Treasury Minister Smotrich calling the potential deal a "disaster," Prime Minister Netanyahu is working to garner support for the agreement. The proposed deal may involve Hamas releasing 33 hostages in exchange for Israel freeing Palestinian prisoners and implementing a ceasefire.