High Information
William J. Burns, the director of the C.I.A., was anticipated to reach in Doha, Qatar, this week for talks with regional officers about reaching a cease-fire in Gaza, in accordance with a U.S. official who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the spy chief’s journey.
The journey by Mr. Burns, the lead American negotiator, to the Gulf nation comes amid a renewed effort to dealer an settlement to cease the preventing and launch hostages in Gaza following months of failed makes an attempt. Brett McGurk, the White Home’s Center East coordinator, was additionally returning to the area this week for conferences in Cairo, a second U.S. official mentioned.
A speech by President Biden final week outlining the phrases of what he mentioned was a brand new Israeli provide raised hopes amongst Israelis and Palestinians {that a} deal to pause the almost eight-month struggle was lastly imminent. However statements by Israeli and Hamas officers in current days instructed {that a} breakthrough was nonetheless elusive.
One of many largest gaps between Israel and Hamas has been over whether or not a cease-fire deal would result in a long-lasting truce. Mr. Biden mentioned Israel’s proposal would finally result in the “cessation of hostilities completely,” feedback that had been welcomed by Hamas. However Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected ending the war with out first destroying Hamas’s governing and army capabilities.
Qatar, a lead mediator between the 2 sides, is “ready for a transparent Israeli place that represents the whole authorities,” a spokesman for the Qatari international ministry, Majed al-Ansari, mentioned on Tuesday.
Mr. Burns’ conferences in Doha weren’t anticipated to result in main progress, mentioned an individual briefed on the negotiations, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the delicate diplomacy. Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas chief in Gaza and the presumed mastermind of the Oct. 7 terrorist assault on southern Israel, nonetheless needed to weigh in on the most recent proposal, the particular person briefed on the negotiations mentioned.
The first phase of the proposal laid out by Mr. Biden known as for either side to look at a brief six-week cease-fire, whereas they continued to barter to achieve a everlasting one.
At a information convention on Tuesday, Osama Hamdan, a Hamas spokesman, mentioned the latest Israeli place communicated to the group didn’t embrace a everlasting cease-fire or a whole withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, each phrases that Hamas has insisted on. Israel, Mr. Hamdan mentioned, was fascinated with solely a brief cease-fire to free hostages, and would then resume the struggle.
He mentioned that Hamas had knowledgeable mediators that the group couldn’t approve an settlement that doesn’t present for a everlasting cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and a “critical and actual deal” to alternate Palestinian prisoners for hostages.
“We name on the mediators to get a transparent place from the Israeli occupation,” he mentioned.
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