Washington increased its initiatives on Friday, aiming to secure a cease-fire in Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel this weekend to bridge the final gaps leading to an agreement.
The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying that Blinken will depart the United States on Saturday in an effort to “finalize a cease-fire agreement and secure the release of hostages and detainees through the proposal” presented by the United States on Friday during talks in Doha.
Earlier on Friday, President Joe Biden stated, “We are closer than ever” to a cease-fire agreement in Gaza, where the conflict between Israel and Hamas has been ongoing for ten months.
The White House announced that Biden spoke by phone with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the progress made in Doha.
In a joint statement, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt said that after two days of “constructive” negotiations in Doha conducted in a “positive atmosphere,” talks will resume next week in Cairo.
The statement added, “Senior officials from our governments will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week, hoping to reach an agreement according to the terms proposed today.”
Pending the resumption of talks in Cairo, technical teams will continue working on the details, “including arrangements for implementing the comprehensive humanitarian aspects of the agreement, as well as aspects related to hostages and detainees,” according to the statement.
The White House announced that “the United States, supported by the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt, has presented both parties with a proposal that reduces the gaps between them.”
Negotiations are based on a plan announced by President Biden on May 31, which includes three stages: a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza, delivery of aid, and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
The U.S. State Department added in its statement that “Secretary Blinken will emphasize the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to complete the agreement.”
Moreover, a U.S. official warned on Friday that Iran would face “catastrophic” consequences and disrupt the momentum toward a ceasefire agreement in Gaza if it attacked Israel in response to the killing of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
