US, Egypt and Qatar call on Israel and Hamas to resume ceasefire talks
9 August 2024, 01:44
International leaders said there was ‘no excuse’ for talks to be further delayed.
Leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar have jointly demanded Israel and Hamas return to stalled talks on the war in Gaza next week.
In a joint statement, the country’s leaders said “only the details” of carrying out a ceasefire and hostage release remain to be negotiated.
“There is no further time to waste, nor excuses from any party for further delay,” they said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Thursday that it had accepted the invitation.
President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim al-Thani, mediators in indirect negotiations to end 10 months of war in Gaza, set the talks for August 15 in either Doha, Qatar or Cairo.
A senior US official, speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity to discuss the push by mediators, said only four or five areas of disagreement over implementation remained to be resolved between the two opponents.
The official cited the timing of a planned swap of Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and hostages held by Hamas, as an example.
Egypt, the US and Qatar said they have a proposal ready to present at next week’s talks to resolve the remaining issues.
Critics of Mr Netanyahu accuse him of slow-rolling talks to end the war in Gaza, which began October 7 when Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people in Israel.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza since then has killed nearly 40,000 people.
There was no immediate response to the offer by Hamas.
Last week’s killing of its top political leader in Tehran raised tensions across the region, an escalation widely seen as a blow to ceasefire talks. The killing was widely ascribed to Israel, although Israel has not commented.
US officials have said they believe Hamas can resume negotiations despite the July 31 assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, who had been presiding over the talks for Hamas.
Hamas military chief Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be sheltering from Israeli attack in underground bunkers beneath Gaza, took over as the group’s political leader.
Hamas had other representatives besides Mr Haniyeh attending the talks who could step in for the slain official, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
