US President Joe Biden has stated that a peace deal between Israel and Hamas is “much, much closer” following ongoing ceasefire talks in Doha.
Although the deal is not yet finalized, Biden expressed optimism, indicating that progress made during the talks has brought the two sides nearer to an agreement than ever before.
The talks, which paused on Friday, will resume next week as negotiators continue to seek an agreement to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza and secure the release of remaining hostages. While President Biden highlighted the significant progress, he cautioned against premature optimism, stating, “We may have something. But we’re not there yet.”
In a joint statement, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt revealed that Washington had introduced a new proposal that builds on the agreements reached over the past week. This proposal aims to close the gaps between the parties and facilitate the rapid implementation of a peace deal.
Mediators will continue working on the proposal in the coming days, with the goal of saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and reducing regional tensions.
An Israeli official confirmed that Israel’s delegation would return home, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday.
The latest round of talks, which began on Thursday, is part of ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
The discussions have been complex, with key issues including Israel’s demand for the destruction of Hamas, Hamas’s insistence on a permanent ceasefire, and the handling of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages.
As the conflict continues, Israeli forces targeted areas in Gaza on Friday, while the United Nations called for a week-long pause in fighting to conduct a polio vaccination campaign amid growing concerns about disease outbreaks in the enclave.
