President Joe Biden has voiced hope regarding the likelihood of a Gaza ceasefire deal. He said that the parties are now closer to a deal than they have ever been. According to Biden’s announcement following recent talks, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be travelling to Israel to forward these initiatives. Amid worries about possible Iranian reprisals for the murder of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, Biden asked all concerned parties to refrain from taking any steps that would compromise the process.
Hamas has expressed doubt about the likelihood of an agreement. Israel has acknowledged the efforts of the US and mediators to get Hamas to agree to a captive release plan, even though it has not commented directly on the truce. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt just made public in a joint statement a plan to close the differences between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Israel maintains that the release of captives abducted during the October 7 raid is a prerequisite for any truce. While some hostages have been set free, others are said to be dead. The families see the current discussions of the surviving hostages as a final opportunity to obtain the release of their loved ones. Ten months into the fight, hundreds of people have died, and there is tremendous pressure to find a solution.
A broader regional war is still possible if the negotiations fail. Mediators described recent talks as severe and fruitful. Before the high-level discussions in Cairo, technical teams will continue to work on the implementation specifics. Though the agreement on a Gaza ceasefire deal is still far off, the mediators’ advancement gives hope. A polio epidemic poses a severe threat to the displaced Palestinian population in Gaza. According to UN Secretary-General Situation Guterres, peace and a ceasefire are essential to solve this humanitarian António.
