WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. negotiators are making progress on a possible agreement under which Israel would suspend its military operations against Hamas in Gaza for two months in return for the release of more than 100 hostages taken in the attack on Israel on May 7 were captured in October. said two senior administration officials.
The officials, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations, said Saturday that the new terms of the yet-to-be-sealed agreement would be implemented in two phases.
In the first phase, fighting would cease to allow Hamas to release the remaining women, elderly and wounded hostages.
Israel and Hamas would then try to work out details for a second phase in the first 30 days of the pause in which Israeli soldiers and civilians would be released. The emerging agreement also stipulates that Israel must allow more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Although the proposed agreement would not end the war, U.S. officials are confident that such an agreement could lay the foundation for a lasting solution to the conflict.
The New York Times first reported on Saturday that there had been progress in agreeing a pause in fighting in exchange for the remaining hostages.
CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to discuss the contours of the emerging deal when he meets in France on Sunday with David Barnea, head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel The focus was on the hostage negotiations, according to three people familiar with the planned meeting who were not authorized to speak publicly.
President Joe Biden spoke by phone Friday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and the ruling Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The talks with both leaders focused primarily on taking hostages.
“Both leaders reiterated that a hostage agreement is central to bringing about a prolonged humanitarian pause in the fighting and ensuring that additional life-saving humanitarian assistance reaches civilians in need across the Gaza Strip,” the White House said in a statement on Biden’s response Call with the Qatari leader. “They underlined the urgency of the situation and welcomed the close collaboration between their teams to advance recent discussions.”
Burns is traveling to France for high-level talks after White House senior adviser Brett McGurk traveled to the Middle East this week for talks on the hostage crisis.
If Burns sees progress in his talks in France, Biden could quickly send McGurk back to the Middle East to try to reach a deal. During his talks this week, McGurk also laid the groundwork for another trip to the region by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who next week could make his fifth trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.
The White House and the CIA have not yet publicly confirmed Burns' meeting in France, and administration officials have been careful to reach an agreement quickly.
“We should not expect any imminent developments,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
Biden and his aides are keenly aware that the rising Palestinian death toll and widespread suffering in Gaza is frustrating some of his Democratic supporters who want him to put more pressure on Israel to end the war. Democrats in Michigan have warned the White House that Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict could cost him enough support within the state's large Arab-American community to influence the outcome of the 2024 election in a state crucial to his second victory could be term.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue the offensive until a complete victory over Hamas is achieved.
Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure from the families of many hostages, who are demanding a deal to secure the release of their loved ones.
The October 7 attack left around 1,200 people dead in Israel and Hamas and other militants kidnapped around 250 people.
Around 100 hostages were released in November as part of a week-long ceasefire deal in return for the release of Palestinians detained by Israel. About 130 remain captive, although some have now been confirmed dead.
Hamas has previously said it would release more prisoners only in return for an end to the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
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Miller reported from Columbia, South Carolina. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.