Senior Israeli, Qatari, U.S. and Egyptian officers will meet in Paris on Friday to try to advance a deal for a cease-fire and the discharge of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, an Israeli official and an individual briefed on the talks stated on Thursday.
The information got here after President Biden’s Mideast envoy met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and different high officers in Israel, a part of a flurry of efforts to barter the discharge of hostages held in Gaza and a pause within the combating. According to Israeli officers, about 100 hostages are nonetheless being held in Gaza. At least 30 others there are lifeless, officers imagine.
The Mossad chief, David Barnea; the C.I.A. director, William Burns; the Qatari prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani; and Abbas Kamel, the top of Egyptian intelligence, are among the many anticipated attendees, the Israeli official and the individual briefed on the talks stated, each talking on the situation of anonymity to debate the diplomatic developments.
Qatar and Egypt have been performing as intermediaries between Israel and Hamas, which don’t negotiate instantly.
On Tuesday, Hamas stated {that a} delegation led by Ismail Haniyeh was in Cairo to debate efforts to finish the conflict with Egyptian officers. On Thursday, Hamas issued a press release saying that Mr. Haniyeh had met with the Egyptian intelligence chief and aides, and had concluded his go to. The assertion stated that among the many subjects these talks addressed had been ending the conflict, the return of displaced folks to their houses, humanitarian help, swapping hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and “what the occupation is planning at al-Aqsa Mosque” throughout Ramadan.
Efforts to safe a cease-fire deal have taken on larger urgency because the loss of life toll from 4 months of conflict within the Gaza Strip nears 30,000 Palestinians, in response to well being officers there, and as Israel’s acknowledged plan to invade Gaza’s southernmost metropolis, Rafah, raises worldwide alarm.
The talks had appeared to stall final week, after discussions held in Cairo failed to achieve a breakthrough. Mr. Netanyahu withdrew his negotiators, accusing Hamas of refusing to budge on what he known as “ludicrous” calls for and pledged to press on with Israel’s offensive.
But on Wednesday evening, Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s conflict cupboard, stated that there had been momentum on a brand new draft of a deal that indicated a “possibility to advance.”
And on Thursday, a White House official stated that President Biden’s Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, had held “constructive” conferences in Israel with Mr. Netanyahu; Yoav Gallant, the Israeli protection minister; and different members of Israel’s conflict cupboard.
“The initial indications we’re getting from Brett is these discussions are going well,” stated the official, John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council. He additionally stated that Mr. McGurk had spent a “good couple of hours” with Mr. Netanyahu.
Mr. McGurk was centered on whether or not negotiators might “cement a hostage deal for an extended pause to get all of those hostages home where they belong and get a reduction in the violence so that we can get more humanitarian assistance,” Mr. Kirby stated.
Mr. Gallant, after assembly with Mr. McGurk on Thursday in Tel Aviv, stated that Israel’s authorities would “expand the authority given to our hostage negotiators.”
One individual briefed on the talks, talking on situation of anonymity, stated there have been indications that each Hamas and Israel had been keen to barter over an interim deal that would trade 35 Israeli hostages who’re both medically frail or older for an undetermined variety of Palestinian prisoners.
Mr. Kirby stated Mr. McGurk meant to press the Israeli conflict cupboard for its plans for its army operation in Rafah.
“Nothing has changed about our view that any operation in Rafah without due consideration and a credible executive plan for the safety and security of the more than a million Palestinians seeking refuge in Rafah would be a disaster,” Mr. Kirby stated. “We would not support that.”
Earlier this week, the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council decision that may have known as for a right away cease-fire in Gaza, saying it feared it might disrupt hostage negotiations.
Israeli and U.S. officers have argued that a right away cease-fire would enable Hamas to regroup and fortify in Gaza, and scale back the strain for making a deal to launch hostages held within the territory.
The United States has drafted a rival decision, which continues to be in early levels of negotiations, that requires a brief humanitarian cease-fire “as soon as practicable,” and the discharge of hostages.
Adam Sella and Cassandra Vinograd contributed reporting.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/23/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news
