Biden: Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Deal Closer Than Ever

Joe Biden said he was “optimistic” about the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

“We are closer than ever,” the US president said after the latest round of talks, adding that he would send his secretary of state to Israel to continue “intensive efforts to conclude this agreement.”

Amid fears that Iran could launch an attack on Israel over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Biden said that “no one in the region should take any action that would undermine this process.”

Hamas expressed skepticism about the possibility of a deal. And without mentioning the possibility of a ceasefire, Israel said it “appreciates the efforts of the United States and mediators to dissuade Hamas from its rejection of a hostage release agreement.”

The Israeli military has launched a campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented attack in southern Israel on October 7, during which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Since then, more than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-led health ministry.

A ceasefire deal agreed in November saw Hamas release 105 of the hostages in exchange for a week-long ceasefire and the release of some 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Israel says 111 hostages are still being held, 39 of whom are believed to be dead.

In a recent joint statement, the United States, Qatar and Egypt said they had presented a proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement that would “narrow the gap” between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has said any ceasefire deal would require the release of the remaining hostages taken to Gaza by militants during the October 7 attack on Israel. Some of the 251 hostages have already been released, while others are believed to have died in Gaza.

Relatives of the hostages still in Gaza believe the current negotiations represent the “last chance” to get some of them out alive.

After 10 months of war and thousands of casualties, the pressure for a breakthrough is enormous.

A broader regional conflict, should talks between Israel and Hamas fail completely, is a real possibility and a common fear for all involved.

Mediators said the last two days of the ceasefire the discussions were “serious, constructive and conducted in a positive climate”.

Technical teams are expected to continue working in the coming days on the details of how to implement the proposed terms before senior government officials meet again in Cairo in the hope of reaching an agreement on the terms agreed in Doha.

While the mediators’ statement is clearly a positive development, there is still a long way to go before a ceasefire is agreed.

It is not the first time Mr Biden has said he believes a deal is near, and not everyone shares his cautious optimism.

Neither Hamas nor the Israeli government have given similarly optimistic responses.

A senior Hamas official told the BBC that Israel had, in effect, changed some of its demands on the free movement of people within Gaza in the event of a ceasefire and the maintenance of Israeli military control in key areas of Gaza.

Israel says its position and basic principles remain unchanged and are “well known.” It has accused Hamas of refusing to accept a deal to release the hostages.

Above all, Israelis want to see the remaining hostages freed, but many are skeptical that this is the primary goal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has insisted that a “total victory” over Hamas is his government’s priority.

Meanwhile, Hamas’s new leader, Yaya Sinwar, continues to show little sign of compromise.

A senior Hamas official, who did not attend the talks but has been in contact with officials in Qatar and Egypt, told the BBC that the negotiations in Doha had not produced “a commitment to implement what was agreed” during the July talks.

During those talks, Hamas is believed to have abandoned its call for a permanent ceasefire in favor of Biden’s proposal for a six-week pause during which an end to the war could be brokered.

Biden’s ceasefire proposal also called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, the gradual release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the return of the remains of deceased hostages.

However, a week later, Hamas accused Israel of introducing new conditions, but is believed to remain open to revising the previous version of the agreement.

The “bridge proposal” put forward by US, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators will be the subject of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s negotiations in the region and is expected to form the basis for upcoming talks in Cairo, which are expected to be attended by all parties, including Hamas.

This proposal is said to “fill the remaining gaps” between the positions of the two sides, which could allow for “a swift implementation of the agreement”.

It may seem obvious, but there are major obstacles to overcome and there is still no trust between senior Israeli figures and those of Hamas.

They are dragged to the negotiating table, perhaps against their will, by others who are afraid of what might happen if they fail.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military operation in Gaza continues: an air strike in the early hours of Saturday morning killed 15 people in the al-Zawaida neighborhood in central Gaza, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense Authority, a rescue service.

Spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP news agency that nine children and three women were among the victims.

Israel has not issued a direct statement. The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday morning that it had “eliminated a number of terrorists” in central Gaza, including one who had fired at Israeli forces operating in the area.

The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders for several blocks in northern Khan Younis and Deir Balah, further reducing the humanitarian zone where thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge from the fighting.

Israel said the blockades had become dangerous for civilians “due to serious acts of terrorism” and the firing of rockets and mortars into Israel.

The United Nations agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said: “Once again, fear is spreading as families have nowhere to go.”

Adding to the urgency of the ceasefire agreement is the circulation of the polio virus, which can be spread through feces, within the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in Gaza.

“Let me be clear: the ultimate vaccine against polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.