The deal to bring an end to the fighting in Gaza is on the brink of collapsing — and there is no clear immediate alternative agreement that could be put forward in its place, according to two U.S. and two Israeli officials, APA reports citing Politico.
The current proposal — pulled together by the U.S., Israel, Egypt and Qatar over several weeks in July — is the strongest form of the deal to date, the officials said, because it includes terms that are tailored to the demands of both Hamas and Israel. Israel has signed on, but Hamas says in public statements it will not accept the pact.
That has U.S. officials increasingly worried that this proposal will falter just as earlier ones did, with Hamas and Israel at odds and no clear path to end fighting or bring hostages home, the officials said.
That’s a much more dire assessment than what U.S. officials are presenting publicly. Even as they press the urgency of getting Hamas to agree, they have repeatedly said in recent days that they are closer than ever to getting both sides to sign on.
Just a few weeks ago, Biden administration officials were feeling optimistic. Hamas had privately signaled that it was amenable to the proposed deal, one of the U.S. officials said. Although some in the White House remain confident, many are now frustrated by the group’s public rhetoric and unsure whether Hamas’s remarks are merely bluster, a negotiating tactic, or whether the group is sincerely against the agreement.
Negotiators, including senior White House adviser on the Middle East Brett McGurk, are heading back to Cairo this week to try and iron out the details of the deal. If they cannot get Hamas on board, they may be out of options, increasing the chance of an increase in violence between Israel and Hezbollah and a direct confrontation between Israel and Tehran.
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