The two-day summit in Qatar ended on Friday, and according to the mediators, the talks between the working groups will continue. In the coming days, the sides will discuss to summarize the details of the implementation of the deal, and another summit will be held in Cairo, where the parties will arrive to finalize the deal. U.S. President Joe Biden said "closer than we've ever been."
Despite the optimism, the Hamas delegation made it clear to foreign news agencies that they do not accept the new conditions. After the terror organization stated it would not send a delegation to the summit, a senior Hamas official told Reuters they were informed about the results of the summit and wished for the July 2 outline. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri turned down the American proposal and claimed "The American administration is trying to create a false optimistic atmosphere, and it has no intention of ending the war."
The Hamas-affiliated Quds network stated that the terrorist organization rejects the "new conditions". According to AFP, one of the Hamas officials was quoted demanding "a complete cease-fire, a complete withdrawal from the Strip, a normal return of the displaced and a (prisoner) exchange deal."
The Prime Minister's Office said this evening that "Israel appreciates the efforts of the U.S. and the mediators to dissuade Hamas from its refusal to accept the hostage release deal. Israel hopes the mediators' pressure will lead Hamas to accept the May 27 outline (the Israeli proposal presented by Biden) so the agreements' details can be implemented."
Although each side talks about a different date of outline, the differences in practice remain the demand for a military presence in the Philadelphi route, and the establishment of a mechanism to ensure that no armed operatives cross into northern Gaza through the Netzer Corridor. The Israeli delegation said the talks were positive, and that the working groups will continue.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt issued a joint statement at the end of the summit, in which they confirmed that the United States presented a new outline in the discussions. This outline closes the gaps between the parties. According to the mediators, the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt presented both sides with a bridging proposal based on the outline presented by President Biden on May 31 and approved by the Security Council. The new proposal builds on the agreements reached and bridges the remaining gaps, allowing for a rapid implementation of the agreement.
The goal: to finalize a deal
The mediators stated that the working groups will continue to work on the technical aspects of the agreement in the coming days, including arrangements for its implementation, covering the humanitarian issues, and the details concerning the hostages and prisoners.
The announcement emphasized that even before the end of next week, "senior officials from our governments will reconvene in Cairo before the end of next week with the aim to conclude the deal under the terms put forward today. 'There is no further time to waste nor excuses for any party for further delay.' It is time to release the hostages and detainees, begin the cease-fire, and implement the agreement."
Israel was outraged last week at the comparison made by the mediators between the Israeli hostages and the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, who were convicted of murderous acts of terrorism.
Mwanwhile, the working groups' talks will continue and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to arrive on a two-day visit to Israel on Sunday night. He also intends to meet with hostages' families who have American citizenship. Blinken is later expected to visit other countries in the Middle East, amid regional tensions and additional talks to conclude the deal.
He was supposed to visit Israel this week but postponed due to the threat of Hezbollah and Iran to respond to attacks attributed to Israel. On Thursday, Qatar urged Iran not to attack Israel as it can hinder the progress of the hostage release deal.