This is John Batchel, a conversation with colleague Jonathan Shanzer of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy.

It's about the hostages, living and dead, held by Hamas.

How long? What is the status of the negotiation?

Jonathan summarizes and then comes to the conclusion at least another six months of talk, talk, talk.

Here's Jonathan to explain in detail what might be a deal right now

between several participants in the negotiations, several, more than two.

This is right now what we know.

More tonight.

Well, it's a committee, John.

And when there's a committee, it usually means that no one is in charge.

And I would argue that right now it's probably Cairo, Doha, the United States, and Israel, all working to arrive at a final status arrangement that I just don't see

happening anytime soon. Look, what we're hearing right now is that Donald Trump feels optimistic

that there could be a deal that sees the return of 10 live hostages as well as 18 dead that would leave for another round of

negotiations, yet another 10 Israelis that are alive and then yet another 12 Israelis that

are dead. So in other words, what we're hearing right now is that the Qataris and the Egyptians are, I think,

have successfully convinced the Trump administration that at least two phases of this is necessary.

Two phases means that we go from the first deal would be something in the order of 60 days

for full implementation.

So then maybe after that, we have another 60 days negotiated.

By then, John, we are already dealing with roughly a half a year of ongoing negotiations.