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The leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar are pushing for a conclusion to long-running talks on a ceasefire and hostage-taking agreement between Israel and Hamas, saying: “It is time to release the hostages, begin the ceasefire and implement this agreement.”
In a statement on Thursday, US President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, called on both sides to “resume urgent talks in Doha or Cairo to close remaining gaps” and “begin implementing the agreement without further delay”.
They set August 15 as the date for the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Hamas and stated that they would present a bridging proposal if necessary.
Washington, Cairo and Doha are seeking to speed up talks that have so far failed to produce a breakthrough and suffered a setback following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s chief negotiator, in Iran. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for his death.
Tehran has vowed retaliation for his killing, as well as for the killing of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. Israel’s killing came in response to an attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last month that killed 12 young people.
The US has warned Tehran that a massive attack on Israel risks the failure of ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip and the outbreak of open war in the region.
“The consequences of such a direct attack could be severe, including for Iran, its economy and everything else,” a senior US administration official said. “We are doing everything we can to deter such an attack, to repel it if it comes, and to show Iran that there is a better way here than a military attack.”
Meanwhile, frustration is growing within the Biden administration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who they say has taken a series of actions that threaten a ceasefire.
Biden publicly advocated a phased ceasefire agreement at the end of May and put pressure on Netanyahu to push forward the proposal during his visit to Washington in July.
The Israeli Prime Minister then returned home and reiterated his position on the agreement; shortly afterwards, the attacks in Beirut and Tehran took place.
While the United States, Qatar and Egypt do not expect Hamas and Israel to be ready to sign a deal when they meet in Cairo or Doha next Thursday, they hope to bring everyone together in one place to bridge differences on “four or five issues” on which the parties are still far apart.
Israel said late Thursday that it would send mediators to the talks on August 15.
“There has to be a way forward. Human lives are at stake, especially those of the hostages,” the senior US official said. “It’s time to bring this to an end.”
