JERUSALEM (AP) — Mediators trying to end the Israel-Hamas war expressed hope for an imminent deal Friday, saying two days of talks had wrapped up in Qatar and that they plan to reconvene in Cairo next week to seal an agreement to stop the fighting.
Israel issued a vague statement saying it appreciated the mediators’ efforts, and a statement from Hamas did not sound enthusiastic about the latest proposed deal to end the devastating 10-month war in Gaza and free Israeli hostages held in the territory. A cease-fire is seen as the best hope for heading off an even larger regional conflict.
But U.S. President Joe Biden seemed optimistic, saying, “We are closer than we’ve ever been” to an agreement.
Biden has expressed optimism for a deal before, only for talks to break down.
“We may have something,” Biden told reporters Friday. “But we’re not there yet.”
Both sides agreed in principle to the plan Biden announced on May 31. But Hamas has proposed amendments, and Israel has suggested clarifications, leading each side to accuse the other of trying to tank a deal.
Hamas has rejected Israel’s demands, which include a lasting military presence along the border with Egypt and a line bisecting Gaza where it would search Palestinians returning to their homes to root out militants.
The statement from the mediators — Qatar, the United States and Egypt — said U.S. officials had presented a proposal that would bridge the remaining gaps between both sides. Teams will continue working in the coming days on how to implement specific measures, they said.
“Senior officials from our governments will reconvene in Cairo before the end of next week with the aim to conclude the deal under the terms put forward today,” the statement said.
Hamas quickly cast doubt on whether an agreement was within reach.
In a statement, the militant group said the latest proposal diverged significantly from the previous iteration they had agreed to in principle, implying they were not disposed to accept it.
The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement saying it “appreciates the efforts of the U.S. and the mediators to dissuade Hamas from its refusal to a hostage release deal.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to travel to Israel over the weekend to “continue intensive diplomatic efforts” to reach a cease-fire and to underscore the need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.
Blinken was expected to meet with Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the new deal, said an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with official requirements.
The new push for an end to the Israel-Hamas war came as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza climbed past 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities, and fears remained high that Iran and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon would attack Israel in retaliation for the killings of top militant leaders.
