Gaza cease-fire talks to resume next week

Mediators in talks on a new Gaza cease-fire agreement said the discussions will resume next week after the U.S. presented a “bridging proposal” meant to resolve the key differences remaining between Hamas and Israel.

Following discussions in Doha, the three main international negotiators — the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt — said the proposal by Washington “bridges remaining gaps” between Israel and Hamas and “allows for a swift implementation of the deal,” according to a joint statement on Friday.

The statement provided no details about the proposal but said it “builds on areas of agreement over the past week.” It said the talks in Doha were “serious and constructive and were conducted in a positive atmosphere.” 

The mediators insisted that all parties are nearer to a final deal after this week’s negotiations. “We’re much, much closer than we were three days ago,” U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will head to Israel this weekend in an effort to advance the push for a deal on a cease-fire and hostage release.

“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Israel on August 17 to continue intensive diplomatic efforts to conclude the agreement for a cease-fire and release of hostages and detainees through the bridging proposal presented today by the United States, with support from Egypt and Qatar,” the State Department said in a statement.