Today, the two-day negotiations in Doha between the three mediators (the United States, Qatar and Egypt) and the Israeli delegation ended, with the aim of reaching a ceasefire and completing a prisoner exchange deal.

Reports spoke of "a solution, progress and narrowing of gaps," but they confirmed that this did not lead to reaching an agreement, as the mediators will move to another round of talks in Cairo in the coming days.

The mediators issued a statement at the end of the negotiations in which they indicated that the United States of America, with the support of the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt, "presented (yesterday, Friday) to both parties a proposal that narrows the gaps between them and is consistent with the principles set by US President Joe Biden on May 31 and Security Council Resolution 2735, and that this proposal builds on the points of agreement achieved during the past week, and bridges the remaining gaps in a way that allows for the rapid implementation of the agreement."

“Over the past 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have been engaged in intensive talks as mediators with the aim of concluding an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages and detainees. These talks were serious, constructive and conducted in a positive atmosphere,” the three countries said in the statement.

He pointed out that the technical teams will continue to work in the coming days on the implementation details, including arrangements for implementing the comprehensive humanitarian aspects of the agreement, in addition to the aspects related to hostages and detainees.

"Senior officials from our governments will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week, hoping to reach an agreement on the terms set out today," he added.

According to the mediators' statement, the way "is now paved to achieve this outcome, save lives, provide relief to the people of Gaza, and calm regional tensions."

A source familiar with the negotiations revealed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that two of the three main outstanding issues have been resolved, initially. As for the most complicated point, which is the Israeli occupation’s insistence on remaining in the Netzarim axis to search Palestinians returning to northern Gaza, the American negotiating delegation, headed by the Director of Central Intelligence, William Burns, pledged that US President Joe Biden would resolve it directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting at the same time that the Israeli negotiating delegation expressed a categorical rejection of withdrawing from “Netzarim.”

The source explained that the Americans appeared more active and putting pressure on the Israeli side during the rounds of Thursday and Friday, due to their conviction that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza would prevent an Iranian military response against Israel, which information indicates that Tehran also agrees to.

The mediators agreed to deliver the initial agreements to Hamas to know its response, then continue the negotiations before the end of next week in Cairo. It is also likely that a military meeting (mainly between the Israeli and Egyptian armies) will take place on Sunday in Cairo, regarding the mechanisms and locations of the Israeli army’s withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor towards the east, according to the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed website.

Within the framework of the initial agreements during the two days of the Doha negotiations, it was agreed to bring 600 tons of aid into Gaza daily, and to establish three liaison offices to implement the civil aid protocol in the capitals of the mediating countries in the negotiations (Doha, Cairo and Washington). As for the Israeli veto on the Palestinian prisoners who might be included in the release, the same source revealed that Israel reduced the number of prisoners it refuses to release from 120 to 65 within two days of the negotiations in Doha.

Regarding the extent to which a possible agreement on Gaza would affect the Iranian military response against Israel, the Americans are convinced that Iran will not respond if an agreement is reached.

Source: Agencies