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US Official Says Mideast Mediators are Preparing for Implementation of Ceasefire Deal in Advance

Palestinians evacuate a school that had been their shelter, in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, after the Israeli military dropped leaflets asking civilians to evacuate from the area and northern Khan Younis, saying forces plan to respond to rocket fire that targeted Israel. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinians evacuate a school that had been their shelter, in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, after the Israeli military dropped leaflets asking civilians to evacuate from the area and northern Khan Younis, saying forces plan to respond to rocket fire that targeted Israel. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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US Official Says Mideast Mediators are Preparing for Implementation of Ceasefire Deal in Advance

Palestinians evacuate a school that had been their shelter, in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, after the Israeli military dropped leaflets asking civilians to evacuate from the area and northern Khan Younis, saying forces plan to respond to rocket fire that targeted Israel. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinians evacuate a school that had been their shelter, in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, after the Israeli military dropped leaflets asking civilians to evacuate from the area and northern Khan Younis, saying forces plan to respond to rocket fire that targeted Israel. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

In a sign that mediators believe a Gaza ceasefire deal is imminent, a US official said Friday that Mideast negotiators are working out logistics for the potential release of hostages and distribution of aid as part of any agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war.

The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity in keeping with rules set by the White House, said the proposal currently on the table basically bridges every gap between Israel and Hamas and mediators were making preparations before a final deal is approved, AFP reported.

It was unclear what measures were being taken, but the official said a new "implementation cell" was being established in Cairo in advance. The cell would focus on logistics, including freeing hostages, providing humanitarian aid for Gaza and ensuring that the terms of the pact are met, the official said.

The comments came hours after mediators expressed hope that a deal was within reach. They said two days of talks had wrapped up in Qatar and that they plan to reconvene in Cairo next week to seal an agreement to stop the fighting.

Israel issued a vague statement saying it appreciated the mediators' efforts, and a statement from Hamas did not sound enthusiastic about the latest proposal to end the devastating 10-month war and free Israeli hostages held in Gaza. A ceasefire is seen as the best hope for heading off an even larger regional conflict.

The US official said the latest proposal is the same as Biden's with some clarifications based on ongoing talks. The way it´s structured poses no risk to Israel´s security but enhances it, the official added.

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.

Hamas quickly cast doubt on whether an agreement was near.

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.

The Israeli prime minister's office issued a statement saying it "appreciates the efforts of the US and the mediators to dissuade Hamas from its refusal to a hostage release deal."

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Two Missiles Delay International Coalition Withdrawal from Iraq

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and his American counterpart Antony Blinken (the government media)
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and his American counterpart Antony Blinken (the government media)
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Two Missiles Delay International Coalition Withdrawal from Iraq

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and his American counterpart Antony Blinken (the government media)
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and his American counterpart Antony Blinken (the government media)

Washington is mulling to cancel understandings with Iraq on the withdrawal of its forces from the country as Iraqi officials said that the recent missile attack on the Ain al-Asad base was the reason behind this shift in the US decision.

Official sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington has halted the negotiations process over the pullout of its troops from Iraq.

The sources said: “The situation is very complicated due to the recent attack on Ain al-Asad.”

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday that Baghdad decided to postpone the date of the end of the mission of the international coalition led by the United States.

“The announcement of the end of the military mission of the international coalition in Iraq has been postponed due to the recent developments,” it said.

The Iraqi military base, which hosts American advisors, was attacked by two missiles, claimed by an unknown group calling itself “revolutionaries.”

Washington said that a number of US soldiers stationed at the base as part of the international coalition’s missions in Iraq were injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, the US State Department denied that the negotiations with the Iraqis were about the forces’ withdrawal, but rather about developing relations and coordinating security efforts.

On Thursday evening, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington discussed with the Iraqi government the future of the international coalition.

“At no time did we discuss the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq,” he noted, but pointed that talks were underway on the transition to what he described as a bilateral security partnership.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry swiftly replied to the American statements by saying they were “inaccurate.”

In a press statement, the ministry emphasized that the work of the Supreme Military Committee focused during the past months on assessing the threat of the ISIS organization, with the aim of reaching a final date for ending the international mission.

“On this basis, the presence of international coalition advisors of all nationalities on Iraqi soil will be terminated,” it added.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Hussein Allawi, advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, said that the Foreign Ministry’s statement indicated that those working on Iraqi soil were advisors to the international coalition, and that the Iraqi government was seeking to end their mission in accordance with the decision taken by the government in January.

“After ten years, Iraqi security forces are able to fully manage national sovereignty, and therefore the Supreme Military Committee has decisive meetings to set a timetable for ending the coalition’s mission,” he remarked.