Breaking: Biden Plans Gaza Deal Next Week, Aims to Deter Iran and Hezbollah

U.S. President Joe Biden is working towards securing a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release deal by the end of next week, while also trying to prevent potential attacks from Iran and Hezbollah that could disrupt these efforts, according to U.S. officials who spoke to Axios.

Biden expressed cautious optimism on Friday, telling reporters, “I’m optimistic. It’s far from over. Just a couple more issues. I think we’ve got a shot.”

During a two-day summit in Doha, the U.S. presented a new proposal to Israel and Hamas aimed at bridging the remaining gaps in the negotiations. A U.S. official mentioned that the proposal addresses nearly all the unresolved issues that have been discussed over the past six weeks.

One of the key sticking points has been the disagreement over the list of hostages to be released, the order of their release, and the Palestinian prisoners who will be exchanged for each hostage. An Israeli official indicated that Israel has agreed to reduce the number of Palestinian prisoners they can veto in exchange for increasing the number of hostages released each week during the first six weeks of the deal.

“We believe the package is essentially ready to be implemented,” said a U.S. official.

Following the summit, Biden contacted the Emir of Qatar and the President of Egypt to discuss the proposal and the next steps. A senior U.S. official noted that all three leaders agreed that the process is now in its final stages.

Although the U.S. official acknowledged that the deal isn’t perfect, they emphasized that it’s the best possible outcome at the moment, one that will secure the release of hostages, provide relief to Gaza, and reduce the risk of a broader regional conflict.

“If you continue negotiating for months and try to get a perfect deal, you risk having no hostages left to save,” the U.S. official warned.

Both U.S. and Israeli officials reported significant progress during the Doha negotiations. However, a senior Israeli official noted that most of this progress was made between Israel and the U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediators, and it’s unclear whether Hamas agrees.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is hiding in Gaza, has not yet received a full briefing or given his response, according to the Israeli official. Meanwhile, Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told Al-Mayadeen TV on Friday that no remaining gaps were closed during the Doha talks, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of stalling.

A U.S. official, however, noted that Hamas representatives’ positions during the talks were more constructive than their public statements. The official added that Iran has claimed in discussions with Qatar that they want to see a ceasefire in Gaza and a reduction in tensions, and now is the time for them to act on these claims.

The next few days are expected to involve intense diplomatic efforts to finalize the details of the agreement. Experts from the U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and Israel have stayed in Qatar to continue working on the hostage and prisoner exchange, as well as other issues.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday to meet with Netanyahu and address the remaining issues. Additionally, experts from Israel, the U.S., and Egypt will meet in Cairo on Sunday to try to finalize an agreement on security arrangements along the Gaza-Egypt border and the reopening of the Rafah crossing—two critical components for the implementation of the deal.

Another negotiation summit is expected to take place in Cairo on Wednesday, with the goal of concluding the deal.