The president of the USA Joe Biden said today that “we are closer than ever” to a ceasefire in Gaza “but we are not there yet”, as two days of negotiations in Doha were suspended until next week.
“I don’t want to screw it up… we might have something. But we’re not there yet,” Biden told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
“We’re much, much closer than we were three days ago. Therefore, make your cross,” he added.
However, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhi, speaking to Reuters, accused the US administration of trying to create a “false positive atmosphere” but had no real intention of ending the war in Gaza and was only trying to buy time. .
For its part, Israel stressed that pressure from international mediators and the US will lead Hamas to accept a ceasefire for the hostage release deal proposed on May 27, according to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
“Israel appreciates the efforts of the US and mediators to prevent Hamas from refusing to accept a hostage release agreement,” the statement said.
Negotiations for a cease-fire and the release of hostages in Gaza will resume in Cairo next week around a new American proposal, the joint communiqué issued today by the mediator countries of the United States, Egypt and Qatar said. However, Hamas rejected the “new Israeli terms”.
The three mediating countries assessed that the two days of talks in Doha were “constructive” and held in a “positive atmosphere”.
Today, Washington tabled a new compromise proposal, backed by Egypt and Qatar, to “fill the remaining gaps” in a way that allows Israel and Hamas to quickly implement a deal. This US proposal is based on a road map presented by President Joe Biden in late May, and envisages three phases for an end to hostilities and the release of hostages taken in the October 7 attack on southern Israel.
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Gaza: Ceasefire negotiations in a positive atmosphere – New compromise proposal on the table
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