The Qatari government said on Tuesday that Israel and Hamas appear close to a deal to declare a ceasefire in Gaza and release hostages held there after more than 15 months of war.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari told reporters the mediators “succeeded in narrowing down a lot of disagreements between the two sides.” Talks on Tuesday focused on “the final details of reaching an agreement,” he said.
The talks, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, followed months of unsuccessful efforts to achieve a breakthrough. In recent weeks, officials familiar with the talks have expressed growing expectations that an agreement is possible, driven by looming deadlines: the end of President Biden’s term and the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration.
Mr Trump has warned that “there will be huge consequences” if the hostages are not freed before he becomes president. Biden administration officials had been pushing for a deal that would become part of the late president’s legacy.
If Hamas and Israel reach an agreement, it would provide some relief to Palestinians in Gaza, who have endured miserable conditions in displacement camps and constant bombardment by Israel, and to the families of hostages kidnapped by Israel, who have been held there for over a year. Worried for a long time. About the fate of their loved ones. A diplomat said talks on Tuesday focused on addressing outstanding issues, while a Palestinian in contact with Hamas officials said they would focus on the details of how to implement the agreement. Both discussed sensitive diplomacy on condition of anonymity.
The diplomat said the emerging agreement was largely inspired by previous proposals discussed in May and July.
Mediators and officials have repeatedly warned that even significant progress could collapse at the last minute. Israel and Hamas have held several rounds of talks over the past several months, each of which ultimately broke down in mutual accusations.
“We believe we are in the final stages, but until we have an announcement – there will be no announcement,” Mr al-Ansari said, adding that there was no immediate timeline for signing the deal.
For more than a year, international efforts have failed to end the war in Gaza, which was triggered by a Hamas-led offensive in October 2023 that killed nearly 1,200 people and wounded 250 others, according to Israeli officials. Was taken hostage in Gaza. According to Gaza health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, Israel launched a military campaign against Hamas that destroyed large areas of the enclave and killed at least 45,000 people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Tuesday that delicate talks were ongoing but declined to comment further.
Israeli officials told reporters Monday night that they believed they were close to reaching an agreement. That optimism was reiterated by Mr Biden in a speech in which he declared that the ceasefire and hostage agreement were “on the verge of finally coming to fruition”.
CIA Director William J. Burns and Brett McGurk, a senior White House official, have toured the Middle East as they press for a breakthrough in the talks. Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s choice as Middle East envoy, has also traveled to Qatar and Israel, meeting with top officials there.