Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
US-led mediators have sent the final draft of a ceasefire proposal to Israel and Hamas after a “breakthrough” in talks over a deal to end the war and secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
People familiar with the matter said this leaves the warring parties the closest they have been to ending the 15-month conflict since at least July, when an earlier push broke down.
“The final deal is now with all sides for approval,” a diplomat briefed on the talks said.
“A breakthrough was reached around midnight in Doha . . . The mediators put the responsibility on both sides to agree to the deal,” the diplomat added. “The next 24 hours will be pivotal to reaching the deal.”
It came after a flurry of diplomacy involving President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli spy chief David Barnea and Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
The US, Qatar and Egypt have for months struggled to broker a deal to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of about 100 hostages held in the besieged strip.
Leave a Reply