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US-led mediators sent the final draft of a ceasefire proposal to Israel and Hamas after a “breakthrough” in talks on a deal to end the war and secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
People familiar with the matter said this left the warring parties the closest they have come to ending the 15-month conflict since at least July, when an earlier attempt failed.
“The final agreement is now in the hands of all parties for approval,” said a diplomat briefed on the talks.
“A breakthrough was made around midnight in Doha. . . The mediators attributed the responsibility to both parties to reach an agreement,” the diplomat added. “The next 24 hours will be essential to reach an agreement.”
The “breakthrough” came after a flurry of diplomacy involving President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli spy chief David Barnea and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman. al-Thani.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt have struggled for months to negotiate an agreement to end the conflict in Gaza and ensure the release of about 100 hostages held in the besieged strip.
But the talks gained new momentum after the election of Trump, who has repeatedly demanded that all hostages be released before his inauguration on January 20. He has warned that, otherwise, there would be “hell to pay.”
Previous periods of optimism that mediators were getting closer to an agreement have been thwarted by the refusal of the warring parties to make the concessions necessary to reach an agreement.
The White House said President Joe Biden had spoken with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Monday.
He added: “Both leaders agreed to remain in close coordination directly and through their teams at this critical point in the negotiations.”
