What happened
Qatari and Egyptian mediators Monday gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of an agreement to end the war in Gaza, as U.S., Israeli and Palestinian officials expressed optimism that a cease-fire deal could be finalized by the end of the week. One official told Reuters the deal came together after a late “breakthrough” in ongoing talks in Doha attended by envoys from President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump.
Who said what
“We’re on the brink” of “finally” bringing to “fruition” an Israel-Hamas peace “proposal that I laid out in detail months ago,” Biden said in a valedictory foreign policy speech. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said there was a “distinct possibility we can get this deal done this week,” before Biden leaves office. Trump told Newsmax he understood “there’s been a handshake and they’re getting it finished, and maybe by the end of the week.”
Two Israeli officials Monday “said a draft agreement was awaiting Hamas’ approval, with the next 24 hours seen as being critical,” The New York Times said. A Hamas official “said in a text message that progress had been made on all issues and that a deal was possible in the coming two days as long as Israel does not change its position at the last minute.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces “fierce opposition to a potential deal from within his governing coalition,” the BBC said.
What next?
Trump’s “Jan. 20 inauguration is now widely seen as a de facto deadline for a cease-fire agreement,” Reuters said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told MSNBC that Trump and his envoy Steve Witkoff have “been a terrific partner in this,” and Witkoff’s participation in negotiations “has been critical” to ensure there’s a deal “the Trump administration will continue to back.”