A senior Israeli official said the summit was an idea raised by the United States in recent days, stressing that Tel Aviv had prior knowledge of the tripartite statement.
The Israeli official stated that Tel Aviv will go anywhere and cooperate with any initiative that could lead to an agreement to release the hostages.
The joint statement issued yesterday, Thursday, stated that “President Biden, Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi call on Israel and the Palestinian factions movement to participate in a final round of negotiations next week to complete the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”
“It is time to end the long-standing suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, as well as the hostages and their families,” Biden, Sheikh Tamim, and Sisi said in the statement. “It is time to conclude a ceasefire agreement and release the hostages and detainees.”
The three leaders stressed that there is a framework agreement on the table and all that remains is to finalize the details of its implementation.
“No more time should be wasted and no party should make any excuses for further delay,” they said.
“We have called on the two sides to resume urgent talks on Thursday, August 15, in Doha or Cairo to bridge all remaining gaps and start implementing the agreement without any delay,” they added.
In addition, American officials have stressed in recent days that a ceasefire agreement and an end to the hostage-taking in Gaza is the only way to calm regional tensions that reached a new level after Israel assassinated a senior military leader of the Lebanese factions movement in Beirut and political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The Biden administration is trying to deter Iran and the Lebanese militia movement from attacking Israel as part of the response to the assassinations, while also pushing for a diplomatic solution.
Negotiations over a hostage deal and ceasefire have faltered in recent weeks over new terms from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh deepened the crisis over prisoner talks and a ceasefire.
Source: Agencies
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2024-08-09 20:02:50