By Meir Jurno and Mati Cohen

Here we reported last week on the ceasefire that Hamas agreed to, following the request of Suha Arafat and the American representative for negotiations, Prof. Bishara Bahabah. Israel opposed conducting ceasefire negotiations, and the IDF spokesman emphasized after our report that the war in Gaza was continuing. However, negotiations continued in Qatar between Israel and Hamas, without the physical presence of the parties. The negotiations were coordinated by the United States, which was striving for a round deal, Iran-Israel-Hamas, and Qatar, which recently agreed to assist Iran in its crisis with the United States. Shortly before the American attack yesterday on Iran's nuclear sites, apparently about 24 hours ago, an agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas in a discussion that, according to an Arab source, was about the foundational issues in the negotiations. 1. Israel agreed to declare an end to the war, if an agreement was reached. 2. Hamas agreed to disarm. Israel accepted the demand that the commitment to end the war in the agreement be its own, and not through an American or other guarantee. The reason, according to an important Arab source: The US is already involved on the Israeli side and is therefore no longer a fair mediator. It is possible that this position is influenced by Turkish pressure; following the conference initiated by Turkey at Iran's request, which included both the Organization of Muslim Nations and the Arab League, Turkey is becoming an important and influential factor in the Arab-Muslim arena (Turkey thereby united the Muslim world under its leadership, something it thought would take years, but the war provided it with an opportunity to shorten the process of establishing the Muslim axis under its leadership, see today in the main story).

Agreements on the main points of contention have already been reached. According to the Arab source, five additional important issues are now on the table that have not yet been resolved and they will be raised in discussions in Cairo: 1. The release of all the hostages at a time parallel to the release of the Palestinian prisoners 2. The key to the release of the Palestinian prisoners and the hostages (Hamas will demand the release of all in exchange for all) 3. Details of the IDF withdrawal from Gaza 4. The identity of the management committee (Hamas and the Palestinian Authority will demand that this be the committee that has already been selected with the consent of Hamas and the Authority from among the Palestinian Authority, and about which we reported exclusively here) The committee includes individuals who are acceptable to both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas 5. The exile of Hamas leaders.