Mideast Mediators to Reconvene in Cairo Next Week over Gaza Ceasefire

Displaced Palestinians flee amid Israeli shelling in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip 16 August 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD

Mediators trying to end the Israel-Hamas war expressed hope for an imminent deal Friday, saying two days of talks had wrapped up in Qatar and they aimed to reconvene in Cairo next week to seal an agreement to stop the fighting.
Israel did not immediately respond and a statement from Hamas did not sound enthusiastic about the latest proposed deal to end the 10-month-old devastating war in Gaza and free Israeli hostages held in the territory. A ceasefire is seen as the best hope for heading off an even larger regional conflict.
Both sides had agreed in principle to the plan President Joe Biden announced on May 31. But Hamas has proposed amendments and Israel has suggested clarifications, leading each side to accuse the other of trying to tank a deal.
Hamas has rejected Israel’s demands, which include a lasting military presence along the border with Egypt and a line bisecting Gaza where it would search Palestinians returning to their homes to root out militants.
The statement from the mediators — Qatar, the United States and Egypt — said US officials had presented a proposal that would bridge the gaps remaining between both sides’ positions. Teams will continue working in the coming days on how to implement the specifics of the proposal, they said.
“Senior officials from our governments will reconvene in Cairo before the end of next week with the aim to conclude the deal under the terms put forward today,” the statement said.
Hamas quickly cast doubt on whether an agreement was within reach.
In a statement, the militant group said the latest proposal diverged significantly from the previous iteration they had agreed to in principle, implying they were not disposed to accept it.