A significant Israeli concession—a military withdrawal to the “yellow line”—is the central component of a nearly-finalized deal to free all hostages and end the Gaza war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the agreement as “90 per cent done” and said it has been “basically” accepted by Hamas.
This withdrawal would see Israeli forces move back to the positions they held in mid-August. In return, Hamas would release all Israeli hostages, a trade that Rubio called the “priority number one” of the negotiations.
The deal also includes a crucial political dimension. According to Rubio, Hamas has agreed “in principle” to participate in planning for Gaza’s future after the conflict, a key step towards establishing a more stable and lasting peace.
President Donald Trump has praised the deal as being “great for Israel” despite the military pullback, and he has secured the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump has also warned Hamas of “complete obliteration” if it does not relinquish control of Gaza.
With the principle of the exchange agreed upon, the focus is now on the logistics. The successful coordination of the withdrawal and hostage release is the final step needed to implement the accord and end the two-year war.