Returnees from Qatar after participating in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza expressed cautious optimism, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office. Netanyahu's office added that there is hope that substantial pressure from the United States and mediators on Hamas will lead the group to reconsider its opposition to the U.S. proposal, which includes elements acceptable to Israel.
**New Proposal for Israel and Hamas**
At the conclusion of the two-day talks in Doha, the U.S. presented a new proposal to Israel and Hamas in an attempt to bridge the existing gaps and reach an agreement. An American official noted that the proposal nearly closes all the remaining gaps that had been discussed over the past six weeks. Israeli officials familiar with the Gaza deal negotiations told the newspaper "Israel Hayom" that significant progress has been made across various areas of the deal with mediators, adding that the goal is to agree on the outlines by Wednesday.
**Tel Aviv Will Remain in the Philadelphia Corridor**
Officials explained that this progress relates to the Philadelphia corridor issue and the movement of civilians in northern Gaza, confirming that Tel Aviv will remain in the Philadelphia corridor. They added that Netanyahu continues to demand a written agreement from Washington that enables Israel to resume fighting against Hamas after the deal is concluded. Furthermore, officials indicated that the outlines of the agreement have been delivered to Hamas abroad, with plans to present them to Hamas leaders in Gaza, pending their response.
**No Announced Stops**
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken left the United States on Saturday night heading to Israel as part of a new effort by Washington to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. During his previous trips, Blinken also visited several Arab countries in the region. This time, no additional stops have been announced at this stage. This marks Blinken's ninth trip to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. This trip comes after Blinken postponed his vacation to engage in talks in Doha about a ceasefire called for by President Joe Biden. American officials reported progress in the discussions.
Following the two-day talks, from which the Palestinian movement was absent, the mediating countries— the United States, Qatar, and Egypt— announced a new proposal that "narrows the gaps" between Israel and Hamas to cease the ongoing war for over ten months and to release Israeli hostages. President Joe Biden confirmed that an agreement on a ceasefire is now "closer than ever," as efforts intensify to prevent the war from spreading regionally amid rising tensions between Iran and its allies on one side and Israel and its allies on the other.
However, Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri stated in a statement to AFP that "the talk of nearing a ceasefire agreement is an illusion." He stressed that "the occupation continues to obstruct all efforts to finalize any agreement," adding, "We are not facing a real agreement or negotiations, but rather facing the imposition of American dictates."
**Reaching an Agreement... A Major Victory for Biden**
An American official acknowledged that the negotiation process has not yet reached its "final stage," indicating that diplomats are currently working on preparing a "cell" capable of quickly implementing the terms of any potential agreement. Reaching a ceasefire agreement would represent a significant victory for Biden as the Democratic Party prepares to meet in Chicago for a conference where Vice President Kamala Harris will officially announce her candidacy for the presidential elections in November. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are expected to protest at the conference against Biden's government's policy supporting Israel. Recently, the United States approved a $20 billion arms sale to Israel.
