Gaza ceasefire 'distinct possibility' this week: Sullivan
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At a Bloomberg News conference, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there was a "distinct possibility" for a ceasefire in Gaza.
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Demonstrators call for action to secure the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza since October 2023 in Tel Aviv. (AFP)
Senior Biden administration officials believe a ceasefire in Gaza may still be reached before Donald Trump's inauguration next week, and the Israeli occupation government has verified progress in the last-ditch discussions.
At a Bloomberg News conference on Monday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there was a "distinct possibility" the agreement might be achieved before Joe Biden leaves office, alleging that "pressure is building for Hamas."
The statements came after "Israel's" Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, hailed progress in discussions for a ceasefire and release of Israeli captives as indirect negotiations intensified in Qatar, accompanied by Trump's Middle East envoy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with outgoing US President Joe Biden on Sunday to provide updates on negotiations aimed at securing the release of captives held in Gaza.
A readout from Biden's office confirmed the discussion, noting that the president emphasized the "immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages, along with a surge in humanitarian aid enabled by a stoppage in the fighting under the deal."
A senior Israeli delegation, including the heads of Mossad and the Shin Bet internal security agency, has arrived in Doha for the negotiations. The visit follows a meeting in al-Quds between Netanyahu, US President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, a representative of Biden, and senior Israeli officials.
Senior official says Hamas, 'Israel' inching closer to deal: Exclusive
The Hamas movement and "Israel" are nearing an agreement after overcoming most of the obstacles that had previously hindered negotiations, a senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen on Monday.
The official stated that, following high-level interventions from Egypt, Qatar, and the Trump administration, the issues that had obstructed an agreement were effectively addressed.
The senior Palestinian figure explained to Al Mayadeen that "Israel" was insisting on several impossible conditions, including the presence of its forces inside the Gaza Strip and along the Philadelphia and Netzarim axes; however, he asserted that Hamas maintained its firm stance throughout the negotiations and insisted on the accurate implementation of the May 27 agreement under the supervision of mediators.
In this context, National Unity leader Benny Gantz said his party gives full backing to the emerging ceasefire deal, taking a swing at Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who said it would be a “catastrophe.”
“Reaching a plan to return our hostages is a supreme value and a strategic necessity — failing to return them and abandoning them is a national catastrophe,” Gantz said in a statement.
“National Unity will give full political backing to the plan for their return,” he added
Earlier this month, on January 2, a senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen that Gaza ceasefire negotiations "are witnessing real development, with signs that a ceasefire agreement may be reached." The leader also clarified that the upcoming round of talks in Doha on Friday "is important and crucial in the negotiations."
The Palestinian official noted there were some main issues in need of further discussions, such as the Israeli captives, the Philadelphi Axis, the return of displaced Palestinians, and the issue of Palestinian captives.
In the same context, “Israel’s” Walla news website reported Israeli officials as saying that the sending of a team to Doha is a last-minute attempt at advancing in the ceasefire talks.
