Biden Urges All Gaza Ceasefire Talks to Maintain Momentum

US President Joe Biden has urged all parties involved in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations to avoid actions that could derail the progress made.

“We are closer than we’ve ever been” to securing a ceasefire, Biden announced following the latest round of discussions, though scepticism remains from some quarters, including a senior Hamas official.

To further these efforts, Biden revealed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be dispatched to Israel.

Blinken’s mission is to continue the “intensive efforts to conclude this agreement.” His trip follows a joint statement from the US, Qatar, and Egypt, which revealed a new proposal aimed at narrowing the differences between Israel and Hamas.

The statement underscored the importance of recent discussions, which have been described as “serious, constructive, and conducted in a positive atmosphere.”

Technical teams will continue working on the implementation details, with another round of high-level meetings scheduled in Cairo.

Biden later confirmed that he had spoken with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt, both of whom expressed “strong support” for the proposed deal.

He emphasized the need to “reaffirm my iron-clad support for Israel’s security” and warned against any actions that could undermine the emerging agreement.

Despite the hopeful tone from mediators, the path to a ceasefire remains uncertain.

Secretary Blinken expressed increased optimism but declined to specify details, stating that revealing too much could jeopardize the negotiations.

He noted that the timeline for a potential ceasefire “remains to be seen.”

The situation remains fluid, with some dissenting views.

A senior Hamas official, not directly involved in the talks but in contact with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, told the BBC that the outcomes from the Doha meetings did not include a commitment to enforce agreements made earlier on July 2.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has voiced appreciation for efforts to persuade Hamas to agree to a deal that includes hostage releases.

The Israeli military’s campaign in Gaza launched in response to a severe attack on southern Israel on October 7, has resulted in significant casualties, with over 40,000 reported dead in Gaza, according to its Hamas-run health ministry.

In November, a deal led to the release of 105 hostages by Hamas in exchange for a week-long ceasefire and the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners. Israel reports that 111 hostages remain in captivity, with 39 presumed dead