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The leaders said “the time has come” to conclude a deal between Israel and Hamas, insisting that the negotiators meet in Cairo or Doha next Thursday.
- Published Aug. 8, 2024Updated Aug. 9, 2024, 3:51 a.m. ET
President Biden and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar said on Thursday that they were prepared to present a “final” cease-fire proposal to end the war in Gaza and called on Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating table next week to settle the conflict.
In a joint statement, Mr. Biden, along with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar declared that “the time has come” to conclude the deal for a cease-fire and the release of hostages abducted to Gaza and Palestinian detainees held by Israel. They insisted that the negotiators meet in Cairo or Doha, Qatar, next Thursday.
“There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay,” the three leaders said in the statement. “It is time to release the hostages, begin the cease-fire and implement this agreement. As mediators, if necessary, we are prepared to present a final bridging proposal that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all parties.”
Cease-fire talks have been on hold after a meeting last weekend in Cairo produced no breakthrough, and the process has been complicated by the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, who had been leading the negotiations through intermediaries. Mr. Biden has expressed frustration at Israel’s decision to carry out the operation that killed Mr. Haniyeh in Iran at a time when the president had hoped the cease-fire talks were close to success.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel indicated minutes after the joint statement by Mr. Biden and the other leaders that he would agree to the meeting. “In the wake of the offer by the United States and the mediators, Israel will send the negotiating delegation on Aug. 15 to whichever place is decided upon, so as to agree upon the details for the implementation of the framework deal,” his office said in a statement.
But it is not clear how willing Mr. Netanyahu is to reach a deal. His own security officials have privately complained that the prime minister is holding up talks by, among other things, reintroducing a demand that had been softened by his negotiators. The prime minister has, in turn, accused his security officials of being bad negotiators.
