Samer Al-Atrus

Feb 4, 2024 | theaustralian.com.au | Alistair Dawber |Samer Al-Atrus |Richard Spencer

A proposal to end the war in Gaza that was being studied by Hamas on Monday brings freedom closer for the best-known and most controversial Palestinian political prisoner, the man a recent opinion poll suggested should be the territory’s next president. Hamas has said that top of its list for any exchange of prisoners for Israeli hostages would be ­Marwan Barghouti, a veteran West Bank leader whose history symbolises the divide with Israel.

Feb 1, 2024 | theaustralian.com.au | Shaun Tandon |Chao Deng |Alistair Dawber |Samer Al-Atrus

Hamas and Israel have agreed to the “substance” of a deal that would allow the remaining civilian hostages being held in Gaza to be freed in return for a 40-day ceasefire, a Qatari official said. A resolution could be reached “within weeks”, the official added. Mediators led by Qatar and Egypt hope the momentum could lead to an end to the war, negotiations on governing Gaza and a long-term resolution to the ­Israeli-Palestinian conflict.