High-level talks on a ceasefire appeared to gain momentum on Monday as Arab and US mediators pushed for an agreement to end fighting in Gaza and release hostages held by Hamas before President-elect Donald J. Trump on January 20.
It was not yet clear whether the parties had reached a resolution to central differences that proved insurmountable in previous rounds of negotiations, but officials briefed on the talks expressed cautious optimism in recent days about the possibility of a deal.
For months, repeated rounds of talks have seen hopes rise only to be dashed days later, with Israel and Hamas blaming the other for the impasse.
If a deal is reached, it would bring some respite to Palestinians in Gaza, who have endured squalid conditions in displacement camps and relentless Israeli shelling, and the families of Israeli hostages, who have suffered for months wondering about their fate. loved ones.
Who are the players?
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The main mediators in the talks are Qatar and Egypt, carrying messages between Israel and Hamas. Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, and Egypt’s director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Hassan Rashad, were the top officials representing their countries in the negotiations.
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David Barnea, the head of Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, the Mossad, is one of Israel’s main negotiators, along with Ronen Barr, head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, and Lt. Gen. Nijan Alon of the Israeli army. Ophir Falk, a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also participated in important meetings related to the negotiations.
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Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official based in Doha, is the militant group’s chief negotiator and has held talks with Qatari and Egyptian officials over the details of a potential deal.
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The United States has used its leverage to encourage Israel and Hamas to sign an agreement. Bill Burns, the CIA director, and Brett McGurk, a senior White House official, have been criss-crossing the Middle East, pushing for a breakthrough in the talks. Steve Witkoff, envoy of Mr. Trump in the Middle East, he has also made trips to Qatar and Israel, where he met with top officials there.
What are they negotiating?
Israeli officials hope to secure the release of at least some of the 100 or so hostages held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in southern Israel that sparked the ensuing war in the region.
Hamas leaders want to end the war in Gaza, which has severely weakened the group’s armed wing and government, displaced nearly two million people and left cities in ruins. Hamas officials also said they were seeking Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, the return of those displaced in the south of the enclave to the north and the entry of materials for reconstruction.
What are the biggest obstacles?
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A major obstacle to the success of the talks was the permanence of the ceasefire. While Hamas has demanded a total end to the war, Mr. Netanyahu said he wants a “partial” deal that would allow Israel to continue the war after the hostages are freed.
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Israel wants vague language in the text of a deal that leaves room for a resumption of fighting at some point, according to a Palestinian person familiar with the matter and two Israeli officials. Mr. Netanyahu feared his right-wing coalition partners could topple his government and jeopardize his political future if he agreed to a deal ending the war in Gaza, analysts say.
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Hamas has not suggested it would be willing to compromise on its demand for an end to the war. Last week, Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, told a rally in Algeria that there must be an “absolute end to aggression.”
