U.S. officials are optimistic that a ceasefire in Palestine is “within reach,” despite signals from Israel and Hamas suggesting that a breakthrough may not be imminent, as fighting continues across parts of the Palestinian territory.
Washington has increased pressure on both sides to accept a bridging proposal discussed during internationally mediated talks in Qatar last week. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his ninth visit to the region since the conflict began 10 months ago, has been leading these efforts.
However, the latest round of negotiations, in which Hamas is not directly participating, was scheduled to resume in Cairo by Thursday but now appears to be delayed.
A Hamas spokesperson criticized the latest proposal, saying it “veers too closely to Israel’s demands.” The group also rejected recent statements by U.S. President Joe Biden, who suggested that Hamas was stepping back from an agreement, calling his remarks “misleading.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly refused to consider an Israeli withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor, which bisects the Gaza Strip, or the Egypt-Gaza border—both considered red lines by Hamas and Cairo. Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted “officials knowledgeable about the negotiations” as saying, “the chances for a deal are slim.” However, efforts are being made to hold talks in Cairo on Friday and Saturday.
Netanyahu is said to be insisting on an Israeli military presence along the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, while the U.S. has “demanded a significant withdrawal of troops in two stages,” according to the newspaper.
The Americans reportedly acknowledged an error made by Blinken when he announced during his visit to Israel that Netanyahu had accepted a U.S. proposal aimed at bringing the two sides closer. “The ball was now in Hamas’s court,” Blinken had stated, though this claim is now in question.
Despite the setbacks, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council on Thursday, “An agreement is now in sight,” following a phone call late Wednesday in which President Biden pressed Netanyahu on finalizing the deal. “The urgency of bringing the ceasefire and hostage release deal to closure” was emphasized during the conversation, according to a White House statement.