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The Associated Press is reporting that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and the Hamas terrorists that includes the release of all hostages.
The talks in Doha, Qatar, lasted almost a year as Hamas kept moving the goalposts on a deal, forcing Israel back to the table on numerous occasions. True to form, Hamas almost scuttled the latest agreement as the terrorists wanted last-minute security adjustments to the area known as the Philadelphi Corridor that connects Egypt and Gaza. Over the years, most of Hamas’s weapons have flowed through tunnels underneath the corridor and Israel wants assurances that the arms will be cut off.
APreports,“Thethree-phasedagreementwouldbeginwiththereleaseof33women,children,olderadultsandwoundedciviliansinexchangeforhundredsofPalestinianwomenandchildrenimprisonedbyIsrael.Soldiersandothermalecaptiveswouldbereleasedinthesecondphase.”
ThedealstillhastobeapprovedbyIsrael’ssecuritycabinetandthenthefullcabinet.IsraelipoliceministerItamarBen-GvirthreatenedonTuesdaytoquitPrimeMinisterBenjaminNetanyahu’sgovernmenti