Site icon one2seek

What to Know About the State of the Cease-Fire Talks


Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip has lasted more than 10 months, with only one weeklong pause in fighting, in late November. That temporary cease-fire led to the return of 50 Israeli hostages captured during the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners — and raised hopes among mediators and the international community that another deal would follow.

Those hopes were dashed repeatedly over many months of unsuccessful efforts by mediators. In the interim, tensions in the Middle East have risen, particularly in recent weeks after the assassinations of a Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and a Hamas leader in Iran, prompting vows from Iran and Hezbollah to retaliate against Israel.

World leaders eager to avert a wider full-scale war believe that an agreement between Israel and Hamas could prevent an escalation. Still, even the most vocal champions of a cease-fire admit that closing a deal will be tough. President Biden on Tuesday told reporters he was “not giving up” on an agreement but that it was “getting harder” to remain optimistic.

On Thursday, negotiators are meeting in Doha, Qatar, to try to reach an agreement. Here’s a timeline of recent talks:

Declaring Hamas no longer capable of carrying out a major terrorist attack on Israel, Mr. Biden on May 31 pressed for hostilities in Gaza to end and endorsed a new cease-fire plan that he said Israel had offered to win the release of hostages.

“It’s time for this war to end, for the day after to begin,” Mr. Biden said that day. Calling it “a decisive moment,” Mr. Biden put the onus on Hamas to reach an agreement, saying, “Israel has made their proposal. Hamas says it wants a cease-fire. This deal is an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it.”

The United Nations Security Council on June 10 adopted a cease-fire plan backed by the United States, with 14 nations in favor and Russia abstaining. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said that the United States would work to make sure that Israel agreed to the deal and that Qatar and Egypt would work to bring Hamas to the negotiating table.

The resolution followed the same framework that Mr. Biden had endorsed, outlining a three-phase plan that would begin with an immediate cease-fire, the release of all living hostages in exchange for Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons, the return of displaced Gazans to their homes and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The second phase called for a permanent cease-fire with the agreement of both parties, and the third phase consisted of a multiyear reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of deceased hostages.

When American negotiators met in Doha for talks with Egyptian, Qatari and Israeli officials in early July, some American officials were hopeful that progress was being made. Their optimism persisted when talks continued July 12 in Cairo.

The discussions included two contentious issues: whether Israel would agree to end the war, withdraw from Gaza and respect a permanent cease-fire; and whether Hamas would agree to give up control of the enclave. Both Israel and Hamas were wary about whether the other side was ready to make concessions.

On July 28, negotiators reconvened in Rome. The meeting came as Israel fired on southern Lebanon, responding to a rocket strike from Hezbollah the previous day that killed 12 children in the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

Even as fears intensified that a regional war could escalate, negotiators remained stuck over a few key issues, particularly the extent to which Israeli forces would remain in Gaza during a truce and the length of any halt to the fighting. Hamas wanted a permanent truce, while Israel sought the option to resume fighting.

As the month ended, the crisis in the Middle East deepened. Hezbollah confirmed that one of its senior commanders, Fuad Shukr, was killed in an Israeli strike on a suburb of Beirut, the Lebanese capital, and Hamas accused Israel of killing its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, while he was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president. Iranian officials and Hamas would say later that Israel was responsible for the assassination, an assessment also reached by several U.S. officials, but Israel has not acknowledged involvement.

John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman, said on July 31 that it was “too soon to know” what impact the developments might have on negotiations but noted that the United States was still in contact with Egypt and Qatar.

President Biden and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar on Aug. 8 said that they were prepared to present a “final” cease-fire proposal and called on Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating table. In a joint statement, they declared that “the time has come” and insisted that the negotiators meet again on Thursday.

“There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay,” they said, adding, “As mediators, if necessary, we are prepared to present a final bridging proposal that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all parties.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel agreed to the meeting, though it was not clear if he would agree to a deal.

According to documents reviewed by The New York Times, Israel relayed a list of new stipulations in late July to American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Mr. Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday rejected that characterization, saying he sought only to clarify ambiguities. His office accused Hamas of demanding numerous changes.

Hamas’s willingness to compromise is unclear. The group requested its own extensive revisions throughout negotiations and ceded some smaller points in July. On Tuesday a Hamas official said the group would not participate in the new round of negotiations.

Hamas’s absence does not signal that the talks will be fruitless. Its leaders have not met directly with Israeli officials during the war, relying instead on Qatar and Egypt to relay proposals. Vedant Patel, a State Department spokesman, told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday that Qatar had assured the United States that Hamas would be represented at the meetings.

The talks are likely to include top intelligence officials from Egypt, Israel and the United States, as well as the Qatari prime minister. Mr. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that he had approved the departure of the Israeli delegation to Doha and its mandate to negotiate.



Read More: What to Know About the State of the Cease-Fire Talks

Exit mobile version