Hamas Leader Haniyeh: Gaza Truce Deal with Israel Are Close

Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau, said the movement is “close to reaching a deal with Israel.

Haniyeh said: “The movement has delivered its response to the brothers in Qatar and the mediators, and we are close to reaching a truce agreement,” referring to the war that broke out between the Israeli army and Hamas since last October 7.

A Hamas official expected on Tuesday that the Qatari mediator would announce within hours the details of a deal with Israel, indicating progress in the truce negotiations and the exchange of detainees between the two sides. 

The official, who requested to remain anonymous, added to the Arab World News Agency that the movement had delivered to Qatar its response to the latest version of the deal proposed with Israel.

Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas and launched a massive air and artillery bombardment campaign in response to the attack. 

The violent bombing and subsequent ground operations killed more than 13,300 people in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom were civilians, and among the dead were more than 5,600 children.