Thursday night on Kan News, it was reported that senior Israeli officials involved in the hostage negotiations believe the chances of reaching an agreement are currently high – but depend on Hamas' position. The U.S. administration has also expressed strong optimism, to the point that Witkoff wants to finalize an agreement in the coming days – even after this weekend's round of nuclear talks (with Iran).
However, the matter hinges on Hamas' response to the contentious issue of American guarantees to uphold the agreement and the ceasefire. According to sources, this is how the Witkoff framework phrases it: "Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire will continue during the 60-day temporary ceasefire, and the ceasefire will be extended beyond those 60 days as long as negotiations continue positively." According to sources familiar with the issue, this is a "sophisticated formulation" that does not include a firm commitment to end the war.