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US-led mediators have sent Israel and Hamas the final draft of a ceasefire proposal after “progress” in talks on a deal to end the war and secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
People familiar with the matter said it left the warring parties as close as possible to ending the 15-month conflict since at least July, when an earlier push broke down.
“The final agreement is now with all parties for approval,” said a diplomat briefed on the talks.
“A breakthrough was achieved around midnight in Doha. . . Mediators put the onus on both sides to agree on the deal,” the diplomat added. “The next 24 hours will be crucial to reaching an agreement.”
The “breakthrough” came after a flurry of diplomacy involving President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli spy chief David Barnea and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
The US, Qatar and Egypt have been struggling for months to broker a deal to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of around 100 hostages held in the besieged strip.
But the talks gained new momentum after the election of Trump, who has repeatedly called for all hostages to be released before his inauguration on January 20. He warned that otherwise there would be “all Hell to pay”.
Earlier periods of optimism that mediators were closing in on a deal have been dashed by the warring parties’ refusal to make the concessions needed to reach an agreement over the line.
The White House said President Joe Biden had spoken with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Monday.
He added: “Both leaders agreed to remain in close coordination directly and through their teams at this critical point in the negotiations.”
