Gaza Cease-Fire Talks To Resume As Israel-Iran Tensions Simmer

(Bloomberg) -- International mediators of Gaza cease-fire talks are set to meet with Israeli negotiators on Thursday, a fresh attempt at striking a deal they hope will ward off a potential escalation of violence in the Middle East. 

While Hamas representatives are not due to be present at the discussions in the Qatari capital of Doha, two officials say mediators will brief the Iran-backed group shortly after the gathering. The people asked not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly.

The talks will bring together senior delegates from the US, Qatar and Egypt, the intermediaries between the warring sides, with the goal of at least pausing the more than 10-month Israel-Hamas conflict that has ignited hostilities on other regional fronts.

The various parties are still working on the basis of a three-stage proposal presented by US President Joe Biden at the end of May, which aims to suspend hostilities, free more than 100 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and transfer more aid to the ravaged Gaza Strip.

But mediators have struggled to resolve a key rift in the blueprint: Israel insists that it will eventually fight on until Hamas is totally destroyed, while the Islamist group is demanding that any cease-fire be permanent and all Israeli troops withdraw. 

Iran and Lebanon-based Hezbollah are threatening to retaliate against Israel, which they blame for the back-to-back assassinations of top militants in Beirut and Tehran two weeks ago. That has deepened the impasse, though a Gaza truce could help ease tensions.

Israeli officials described the Doha meeting as a chance to close ranks with the US — represented by CIA director William Burns — and to ask Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel to persuade Hamas to give ground on the truce terms. 

Israel’s lead negotiator is David Barnea, director of the Mossad spy service, which Iran has accused of being behind the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh on July 31. Israel hasn’t confirmed or denied responsibility, though it has said the killing of Hamas leaders is one of its goals of the war.

Sticking points in the past have included a clause that provides for further negotiations after the first phase of a cease-fire comes into effect. Another is what concessions the two sides would agree to during a second phase. 

Under Biden’s proposal, negotiations could continue if they run past the six-week initial truce, and the pause in fighting could be extended as needed. Israel has opposed this, worrying that Hamas could draw out the talks indefinitely. Hamas, for its part, has balked at certain elements of the proposed second-phase discussions including the group’s demilitarization, officials say.

Other points of contention include: Israel’s insistence that its forces remain deployed along the Gaza-Egypt border, the number of live hostages Hamas should or could free in the first phase of the truce, and a lack of clarity over how to enforce Biden’s call for civilians, and not fighters, to be allowed back into northern Gaza.   

The war erupted after Hamas fighters swarmed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people. Israel responded with an air and ground assault and about 40,000 people have died, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the US.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.