The "Times of Israel" reported that ceasefire talks in Gaza have reached a dead end. American and Israeli officials clarified that there is currently no clear alternative agreement that can be proposed to halt the war in Gaza, indicating that the agreement is on the verge of collapse. The officials told "Politico" that the current proposal being discussed by the United States, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar over several weeks in July is the strongest so far, as it includes conditions specifically tailored to meet the demands of both Hamas and Israel.
They pointed out that there are deepening concerns within the American administration about the possibility of this proposal failing, as happened with previous suggestions, amid ongoing disagreements between Hamas and Israel and no clear path to ending the fighting. This assessment is much graver than what American officials have publicly stated, especially since they have repeatedly announced in recent days that they are closer than ever to convincing both sides to proceed with a ceasefire agreement and the release of prisoners.
Negotiators, including the White House's senior advisor for Middle Eastern affairs, Brett McGurk, are expected to return to Cairo this week in an effort to reach an agreement on the details of the deal. In this context, one official familiar with Israel's position in the ongoing negotiations said, "We don't know if Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar wants this deal, but if we do not reach an agreement, there is a possibility that Iran could attack, which could lead to a full confrontation."
According to the same sources, the current proposal focuses on the release of the remaining prisoners and discusses the potential withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza; however, disagreements revolve around the number of prisoners to be released due to Israeli presence in the Philadelphi corridor and central areas north of Gaza. A senior American official accompanying Blinken on his Middle East tour noted that "Netanyahu's hardline statements are not conducive to reaching a ceasefire agreement."
