Moderate optimism in Gaza ceasefire talks

Negociations in Doha paused on Friday with negotiators to meet again next week seeking an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hamas and free remaining hostages. U.S. President Joe Biden said “we’re not there yet”.

In a joint statement, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said Washington had presented a new proposal based on points of agreement over the past week, closing gaps in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal.
Mediators would keep working on the proposal, they said, although Hamas said that the new proposal is unacceplable for them because of a point referring to the continuous presence of IDF in the Gaza Strip, along the border with Egypt.

“The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions,” they said in the statement.

Palestinian militant group Hamas was not directly involved but was kept briefed on the talks.

President Biden said a deal was “much, much closer” than before the talks began.
According to press agencies, a senior administration official said the latest negotiations were the most productive in months, and negotiators will reconvene next week in Cairo hoping to conclude it.
“It was consensus of all of the participants over the past 48 hours that there’s really a new spirit here to drive it to a conclusion,” the official told reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Joe Biden said in a statement he spoke with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who he said expressed strong support for the U.S. proposal.

Teams will remain on the ground to continue technical work and senior officials will convene in Cairo “before the end of the week,” he said.

Biden added he is sending U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel to reaffirm U.S. commitment to Israel and “to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process.”

Israel has insisted that peace will only be possible if Hamas is destroyed, while Hamas has said it will only accept a permanent ceasefire, not a temporary one.
Other difficulties have included deal sequencing, the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released alongside Israeli hostages, control over the Gaza-Egypt border and free movement for Palestinians inside Gaza.