Israel, Hamas inch closer to Gaza cease-fire deal, but gaps remain

Insistence that Israeli troops will remain in the corridor is one of several snags that have dampened last week’s optimism that an agreement to stop the fighting could be imminent. Egyptian state television, citing an unidentified official, said that “disputed points go beyond what was previously agreed upon with the mediators,” which include the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

President Biden, at his Thursday news conference marking the conclusion of this week’s NATO summit, voiced confidence that a deal was within reach, saying the “framework” of the cease-fire plan he laid out six weeks ago “is now agreed on by both Israel and Hamas.” While “there are still gaps to close,” Biden said, “we’re making progress, the trend is positive.”

Just hours before Biden spoke, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan also cited “positive” signs, but said that “‘optimistic’ is always a hard word to use in a sentence around this tragic conflict.”

“I think there’s still miles to go before we close, if we are able to close,” Sullivan said.

U.S. and Arab officials said that while the two sides were closer than they have been, Israel had interjected new conditions to the proposal’s broad outline and both sides had balked on some of the details during talks that took place this week in Cairo and Doha. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity about the sensitive negotiations.

Meanwhile, Israeli media, reflecting ongoing tension between Netanyahu and the leadership of the Israel Defense Forces, quoted anonymous military officials accusing the prime minister of intentionally seeking to stall the process.

“The ball is in Netanyahu’s court,” said a former senior Egyptian official with knowledge of the negotiations. “Netanyahu does not want peace. That is all. He will find excuses … to prolong this war until 5 November,” the date of the U.S. presidential election. Polls show Biden trailing his opponent, former president Donald Trump, whose Republican Party has been less critical of Israel’s conduct in the war.

In a statement Thursday, Hamas accused Netanyahu of “procrastination to buy time with the aim of thwarting this round of negotiations.”

The families of dozens of hostages who remain in Hamas captivity have been at the forefront of escalating demonstrations in Israel demanding that Netanyahu complete the deal, with some accusing him of holding back to keep his government from falling in the face of pressure from extreme right-wing coalition partners who oppose an agreement. The ongoing war has…