Israel 'cautiously optimistic' on new US proposal for Gaza truce

Israel voiced cautious optimism about prospects for a cease-fire in Gaza after high-level talks with mediators over a new U.S. proposal, placing the onus on Hamas to drop objections.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he spoke to his negotiators after their return from two days of meetings with senior Qatari and Egyptian delegates who have been serving as intermediaries with the Palestinian Islamist faction.

Also present at the Doha talks was CIA director William Burns, representing a U.S. administration that is keen to wind down the more than 10-month-old Gaza war, which has spread to other Middle East fronts.

The negotiators “expressed to the prime minister cautious optimism regarding the possibility of progress on the deal, in accordance with the updated American proposal,” the statement said.

U.S. officials have said efforts to reach a cease-fire are nearing the final stages following a fresh cease-fire proposal. It closely resembles a previous three-phase plan unveiled by President Joe Biden in May, which called for a suspension of hostilities, the swap of hostages for prisoners, some withdrawal of Israeli forces and the return of Palestinian civilians to return to the northern Gaza Strip.

Sticking points in the plan have included Israel’s demand to keep forces along two strategic corridors, the question of how Hamas fighters might be prevented from returning to northern Gaza and how many live hostages could and should be released in the first phase.

“It is hoped that the heavy pressure on Hamas by the United States and the mediators will remove its opposition to the American proposal and will lead to a breakthrough in the talks,” according to the Israeli statement. Representatives of Hamas — designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. — had refused to participate in the recent talks.

Despite the progress in truce negotiations, tensions in the region remained elevated. On Saturday, Hezbollah militants fired a salvo of rockets at northern Israel following one of the deadliest strikes on Lebanon since both sides began trading fire more than 10 months ago.