Report: Biden admin pessimistic about Israel-Hamas ceasefire
Israel and Hamas fundamentally agree on the terms set in the first stage, but they disagree on how to officially end the war, according to a report in Politico
Official figures in the Biden administration are increasingly casting doubt on the possibility that Israel and Hamas will reach a comprehensive ceasefire agreement under the current framework, according to four American sources familiar with the negotiations who spoke on Thursday to Politico.
Israel and Hamas fundamentally agree on the conditions set in the first stage, but they disagree on how to formally end the war, according to two sources who spoke anonymously. Despite initial optimism about the deal, official sources now believe these disagreements may harm the entire agreement.
The second stage is the "sticking point," according to one official who spoke with Politico. "If the first stage could have been done in a vacuum, we would have done it by now," he added.
"I think it will last at least until the end of 2024," concluded one of the official sources, referring to the Israel-Hamas war.
This comes amid reports that an Israeli delegation traveled to Doha, Qatar, for ceasefire talks.
The main issues remain Hamas's demand for a full Israeli withdrawal, as well as a permanent ceasefire.