The United States, Egypt, and Qatar plan to hold what they hope will be the final round of hostage talks next week in Cairo, after providing Israel and Hamas with a “bridging proposal” to close the gaps between those two parties.
“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 White House said on Friday, in a joint statement it put out together with Qatar and Egypt.
Those two Arab countries have been the main mediators for the deal, with the support of the US.
The leaders of those three countries spoke up after holding two days of talks in Doha led by CIA Director William Burns with the participation of US special envoy Brett McGurk, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani, and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel. The Israeli delegation was led by Mossad Chief David Barnea and returned to Israel on Friday.
Hamas was not directly involved in the talks but was kept briefed on progress. A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, told Reuters that Israel "did not abide by what was agreed upon" in earlier talks, citing what mediators had told them about the result of the talks.
The stakes have been high to conclude a deal that would see the return of the remaining 115 hostages in Gaza and a ceasefire deal that would end the war that began on October 7.
The US also hopes that a deal would avert reprisal strikes against Israel by Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon which it fears would spark a regional war.
The Washington Post reported that al-Thani had spoken with Iranian leaders and asked that Tehran not attack Israel while intense diplomatic efforts were underway to finalize a deal.
An unnamed source tied to Hezbollah also told The Washington Post it would restrain itself from launching a major attack, which could possibly impair ceasefire efforts.
US President Joe Biden on Friday said that parties negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza were closer to reaching a deal but were not there yet.
"We're much, much closer than we were three days ago," Biden told reporters at the White House. "I don't want to jinx anything," he said, explaining that "we're not there yet" but "we're close."
Hamas senior official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Friday that the US administration is trying to create a "false positive atmosphere" and has no real intention of stopping the war in Gaza and is only trying to buy time.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel welcomed US efforts and hoped that Washington could pressure Hamas to accept the deal.
Both Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for the absence of a deal, each claiming that the other party has refused to accept the framework proposal for a three-part deal that Biden first unveiled on May 31, and which was accepted by Israel already on May 27.
"Israel appreciates the efforts of the US and the mediators to dissuade Hamas from its refusal to agree to a hostage release deal.
"Israel's fundamental principles are well known to the mediators and the US," the PMO said. "Israel hopes that their pressure will lead Hamas to accept the May 27 principles, so that the details of the agreement can be implemented," the PMO stated.
Disputes have arisen over clarifications Israel has sought to the deal, that has included a continued IDF presence in the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors as well as a push for the return of the maximal number of hostages in phase one of the deal.
Hamas had insisted prior to the talks that it would only accept the original framework without clarifications, while Israel has said that Hamas has sought to introduce several cozen changes to the text.
The US has said the hangup has been in details regarding the execution of the deal, but that both sides have agreed in principle to the deal.
The US had said that if it failed to secure the agreement of both Israel and Hamas to its proposal during the Doha talks, it would put what it termed a “bridging document” on the table.
This is a document aimed at bridging the gaps between Israel and Hamas when it comes to the implementation of the May 31 three-phase hostage deal.
In the joint statement by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, the three countries stated that “Over the last 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have engaged in intensive talks as mediators aiming to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and release of hostages and detainees.”
They described the talks that took place as “serious, constructive and were conducted in a positive atmosphere.”
“Earlier today in Doha, the United States with support from Egypt and Qatar, presented to both parties a bridging proposal that is consistent with the principles laid out by President Biden on May 31, 2024, and Security Council Resolution No. 2735.
Welcoming the new proposal
“This proposal builds on areas of agreement over the past week, and bridges remaining gaps in the manner that allows for a swift implementation of the deal,” the three countries stated.
“Working teams will continue technical work over the coming days on the details of implementation, including arrangements to implement the agreement’s extensive humanitarian provisions, as well as specifics relating to hostages and detainees,” they said.
“The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions,” the three countries stated.
“As the leaders of the three countries stated last week, ‘There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay. It is time to release the hostages and detainees, begin the ceasefire, and implement this agreement,’” the three countries stressed in their statement.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday and told hm that the finalizing a hostage was "an urgent, moral imperative.”
Reuters contributed to this report.