The United States, Qatar, and Egypt urge Israel and Hamas to immediately resume ceasefire negotiations.

Security and Military Section 12-08-2024

The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have urged Israel and Hamas to quickly resume negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release. In a joint statement, the three nations emphasized that a framework agreement is already in place and that no side should delay further.

The statement, issued by the leaders of the US, Egypt, and Qatar, called for talks to be held in either Doha or Cairo on August 15, stressing the urgent need for relief for the people of Gaza and the hostages. The leaders noted that only the details of the agreement’s implementation remain unresolved and proposed a final bridging proposal to address the remaining issues, such as the duration of the initial ceasefire phase and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded immediately, confirming that Israeli negotiators would participate with the goal of finalizing and implementing the framework agreement. Netanyahu’s administration has faced criticism for allegedly obstructing ceasefire efforts.

Hamas has not yet responded to the call for talks. The announcement comes after Hamas appointed Yahya Sinwar, reportedly the mastermind behind the October 7 attack, as its new leader, which has raised concerns about the potential difficulty of the negotiations. Sinwar’s appointment followed the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy also called for an immediate halt to the fighting and the release of all hostages. He emphasized the need for unrestricted humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza.