US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have held a phone call amid rising momentum for a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, with negotiations focused on a potential agreement involving both a ceasefire and the release of hostages. This communication, which occurred in the final week of Biden’s presidency, signals significant progress in the delicate talks that have unfolded over the past months.
The White House has indicated that Biden discussed the “fundamentally changed regional circumstances,” including Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the diminishing influence of Iran in the region, and the shifting dynamics of Syria’s Assad regime. Meanwhile, Netanyahu briefed Biden on the instructions he gave to Israeli negotiators in Doha, aiming to advance the hostages’ release.
Biden emphasized the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages, alongside a surge in humanitarian aid made possible by halting the fighting. This call follows Netanyahu’s dispatch of a senior Israeli security delegation to Doha, where indirect negotiations are being mediated by Qatari, US, and Egyptian officials.
Despite these intensified diplomatic efforts, significant uncertainty remains over crucial aspects of the potential agreement. Questions loom about whether an initial truce will lead to a lasting ceasefire and whether Israel’s military will fully withdraw from Gaza.
The backdrop of these developments includes the devastation caused by the war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in significant casualties and the abduction of 251 hostages. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports over 46,500 fatalities, while Israel claims that 94 hostages are still in Gaza, with 34 presumed dead.
As momentum builds toward a potential deal, the international community, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, remains hopeful that an agreement will be finalized before the January 20th inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, whose rhetoric on the conflict has added further urgency to the situation.
