The international mediators want to secure an agreement with respect to a ceasefire and hostages between Israel and Hamas next week, as intensive negotiations in Qatar bring the parties a new proposal.
Friday’s “bridging proposal” was designed to iron out the remaining sticking points that have prevented the two sides from reaching an agreement so far, according to a joint statement by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

President Joe Biden expressed optimism that the ceasefire and hostage talks—set to pick up again in Cairo a few days hence—are going well. He said that things have advanced such that a resolution is now far closer than just a few days earlier.

The discussions came in an atmosphere of growing tension in the region, not least to the prospect of an attack on Israel by Iran, which could derail the already-fragile negotiations.

It said the new proposal built on the work of the past week and covers all the outstanding issues in a manner that may see the deal realized very fast. A meeting of senior US, Qatari, and Egyptian officials is set to take place again in Cairo before the end of next week, with the aim of hammering out a final agreement.

Well, the discussions have been described as “serious and constructive,” but no details were given on the specifics of agreement.

The death toll has reached 40,000 in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict between the State of Israel and Hamas, hence putting pressure on the need for a stop to hostilities.

But uncertainty has clouded the negotiations on the ceasefire since Israeli airstrikes late July killed Hamas’s former political leader and some top Hezbollah figures.

Hamas reiterated on Thursday that any accord on hostages or a cease-fire should be linked with a full pullout of the Israeli army from Gaza.

Hussam Badran, a member of Hamas’s Political Bureau, elaborated: “Comprehensive Ceasefire, Full Troops Withdrawal, Return of the Displaced, Reconstruction and a Prisoner-Exchange Deal all fall within any probable agreement.”.

News Desk