Netanyahu awaits next US president before embarking on political path to end Gaza war

CNN quoted officials, who it described as being familiar with internal discussions in Israel, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying that the Prime Minister of the occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, is waiting for the results of the American elections to know who the next American president will be, before committing to a diplomatic path that could end the war that has been raging for more than a year on the Gaza Strip.

After months of on-and-off negotiations, US officials insist on cautious optimism that the new proposal could jumpstart stalled talks on Gaza, especially after the killing of Hamas political chief Yahya Sinwar.

However, according to people familiar with the conversation, many details remain pending, including the number and details of prisoners who will be released as part of the deal.

Two sources familiar with the talks said the temporary truce being discussed would be shorter than the first six-week phase that was previously under discussion before the talks collapsed. One of the sources said mediators were currently discussing the proposal with Hamas. Hamas has reiterated its rejection of any deal that does not guarantee an end to the war in Gaza.

In addition, an American official told the New York Times, on condition of anonymity, today, Thursday, that the goal of the visits of American envoys to the region is to support the Joe Biden administration's policy of "de-escalation through deterrence."

But progress in ceasefire talks seems unlikely in the coming days, with Tuesday's US presidential election approaching.

The official spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to reduce escalation in the region, and said that matters are linked to each other, adding: "We in the Qatari mediation do not judge the negotiating path through press statements, but rather through positions inside the negotiating halls and not through the media."

(New Arab)