On Friday, August 16th, the mediator trying to end the Israel-Hamas war said they hope to reach an agreement soon. The two-day negotiations in Qatar have concluded, with plans for another meeting in Cairo next week to achieve a ceasefire agreement. US President Joe Biden has expressed optimism.
Biden stated, “We are closer to a Gaza ceasefire than ever before, but we haven’t achieved it yet” as ceasefire negotiations have been paused until next week.
“I don’t want to dampen everyone’s spirits… we might have made some progress,” Biden told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, “we are closer than three days ago, so, let’s pray.”
In a joint statement, the US, Qatar, and Egypt indicated that Washington has proposed a new initiative. Building upon the consensus reached over the past week, the proposal aims to bridge the gaps between both sides to swiftly implement the agreement.
“Senior officials will reconvene in Cairo before the end of next week to reach a deal based on the conditions presented today,” the statement said, noting that mediators will continue to study the ceasefire proposal in the coming days.
“The path to achieving this outcome is clear – saving lives, providing relief to the people of Gaza, and easing regional tensions,” the statement further stated.
Israel has praised the efforts of the mediators. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement expressing appreciation for the US and mediators’ efforts to dissuade Hamas from rejecting the hostage release agreement.
The US State Department announced on Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel on Saturday to work towards finalizing a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement.
Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement, “Secretary of State Blinken will travel to Israel on August 17 to continue intensive diplomatic efforts, supported by Egypt and Qatar, to achieve a ceasefire and an agreement to release hostages and detainees, based on the transitional proposal put forward by the United States today.”
“This proposal will secure a Gaza ceasefire, ensure all hostages are released, ensure humanitarian aid is distributed throughout Gaza, and create conditions for broader regional stability,” Patel added.
Patel stated, “The Secretary of State will stress the urgent need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or take any other actions that may jeopardize reaching an agreement.”
An Israeli official mentioned that their embassy in Doha would return home later on Friday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with US Secretary of State Blinken on Monday, August 19.
According to the Associated Press, Hamas expressed skepticism about the possibility of a quick agreement. The radical group stated in a release that the latest proposal significantly differed from a previous version they had tentatively agreed upon.
Hamas senior official Izzat al-Rishq told Reuters that Israel “did not abide by agreements reached in previous talks,” citing the outcomes conveyed by the mediators to them.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby said on television, “We believe the Doha meeting was a positive step forward, but it’s just a step forward… There’s still a lot of work to be done.”
Israel insists that peace is only possible through the destruction of Hamas, while Hamas maintains they will only accept a permanent ceasefire rather than a temporary one.
Biden had expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, but previous negotiations ultimately collapsed.
Hamas rejected Israeli demands, including establishing a lasting military presence in border areas adjacent to Egypt and delineating a boundary in the Gaza Strip to search Palestinian returnees’ homes to root out armed individuals.
On October 7 last year, armed Hamas militants breached Israel’s heavily guarded border, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 to Gaza, sparking the war. During the one-week ceasefire in November, over 100 individuals were released, with approximately 110 believed to be still in Gaza, though Israeli authorities estimate around one-third may have died.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, the death toll for Palestinians in Gaza has exceeded 40,000. Concerns remain high about potential attacks on Israel by Iranian and Hezbollah militants from Lebanon in retaliation for the assassination of their senior armed leaders.
On Friday, foreign ministers from the UK and France visited Israel to bolster international diplomacy and prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Following a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné appeared hopeful.
Lammy stated that Israeli officials informed them of a pending agreement.
“315 days into the war, it’s time now for an agreement, the return of hostages, necessary aid to Gaza, and to stop the fighting,” Lammy said.
Séjourné echoed his sentiments, labeling any actions disrupting the stability of the negotiations as unacceptable. He emphasized they had sent a clear message to all sides and stressed the critical moment, “because it could lead to peace or to war.”
In a statement, Katz said he informed his British and French counterparts that if Iran attacks Israel, Israel expects its allies not only to assist in self-defense but to jointly retaliate against Iran.
Katz stated, “Iran is the head of the axis of evil, and the free world must stop it before it’s too late.”
Iran supports Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. These organizations have launched attacks on Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict.
Mediators have spent months trying to finalize a three-stage plan involving Hamas releasing hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza, and the release of Palestinians detained by Israel.