Renegotiation of truce talks in Gaza set for the upcoming week.
This plan expands upon the areas where consensus was reached previously and addresses the remaining issues in a manner that allows for immediate execution of the agreement, as mentioned in a statement released by the White House, which was also endorsed by the other two mediators, Qatar and Egypt.
During his trip to Beirut, Lebanon, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed that a truce in the Gaza Strip is "crucial for initiating a solution in the region and marking the start of de-escalation". He expressed optimism for "honorable intentions and the political determination to accomplish this urgent agreement" in the Gaza Strip. Egypt vows to "spare Lebanon the predicament of an unanticipated escalation".
The latest proposal in the discussions, as per reliable sources, includes Israeli soldiers continuing to be stationed within the Gaza Strip near the border with Egypt. An unnamed Hamas representative told the AFP news agency: "We will settle for nothing less than a complete truce, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, and the return of the displaced, as well as a deal on the exchange of prisoners for hostages from Israeli prisons".
Discussions on a truce in the Gaza Strip and the liberation of the Israeli hostages imprisoned there resumed on Thursday in Doha, Qatar. The statement from Washington declared the talks to be "productive" and conducted in a "favorable atmosphere".
Relations in the Middle East have witnessed a significant intensification. Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia have been imposing threats upon Israel since the assassinations of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut at the end of July, both parties accusing Israel of orchestrating both attacks. In response, the USA, Israel's primary ally, boosted its military presence in the region in the face of the threat of escalation.
US President Joe Biden had expressed his aspiration that a deal on a truce in the Gaza Strip could also discourage Iran from attacking Israel and consequently prevent further amplification of the conflict in the region.
The proposed truce in the Gaza Strip also involves diplomatic efforts from Egypt, aiming to avoid any unfavorable circumstances similar to those experienced in The Cairo.
The potential for a peaceful resolution in the Gaza Strip is a shared goal among all mediators, including Egypt, which played a crucial role in The Cairo Accords decades ago.
