Israel has effectively conceded control over the Morag Corridor, based on the maps it presented to hostage negotiation mediators, two sources familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza were going well.
Earlier, a meeting was held between the Israeli delegation and the Qatari and Egyptian delegations, during which Israel presented new maps reflecting additional flexibility on its part.
A source involved in the negotiations told the Post: “The focus now is no longer on the Morag Corridor; it’s on the Israeli presence in the Rafah area. That’s where the discussions are currently centered.” According to the source, the mediators are optimistic (not for the first time) and believe the new maps significantly advance the chances of reaching a deal soon.
A senior diplomatic official told reporters that a hostage deal – which would involve the release of 10 hostages, the return of the bodies of 18 others, along with a 60-day truce – is “attainable.”
“We, as a government, are interested in a framework for a hostage release,” the official said. “There are differing political opinions in Israel, but the government is committed to a hostage deal, and that’s the line the prime minister is leading. I believe a deal is achievable. It’s not simple. Negotiating with Hamas is neither easy nor quick, and I can’t give a timeline, but it is within reach.”
According to the official, Hamas’s agreement to the Witkoff framework demonstrates a shift in its position. “This is the result of intense military pressure, strong American involvement, and Washington’s desire to achieve a deal. Because of that interest – and the US-Qatar relationship – Qatar is now engaging at a different level.”
Internal disagreements within Israel's cabinets, possible concessions
The official also revealed internal disagreements within the Israeli cabinet over the concessions involved in the deal: “There were cabinet members who said, ‘Don’t give up any territory we took during Operation Gideon’s Chariots.’ I told them: ‘Then just say you don’t want a deal.’”
The official stressed that there is no commitment to ending the war, and that the ceasefire would be temporary, lasting 60 days, during which negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place.