BUERGENSTOCK, Switzerland: White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan announced that mediators from Qatar and Egypt are poised to engage with Hamas to advance a ceasefire proposal initiated by U.S. President Joe Biden.
Speaking at a Ukraine peace summit, Sullivan discussed the diplomatic efforts aimed at negotiating Hamas’s release of hostages captured since October 7 in exchange for a ceasefire lasting at least six weeks.
Sullivan confirmed that he had a brief discussion with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and planned to continue these talks in Switzerland. Hamas has shown openness to the ceasefire proposal but insists that any agreement must end the ongoing conflict, a condition Israel currently rejects. Israel has described Hamas’s reaction to the U.S. peace initiative as a total rejection.
Sullivan noted that U.S. officials have carefully reviewed Hamas’s response, acknowledging that while some demands are manageable, others conflict with President Biden’s outlined terms and the U.N. Security Council’s endorsements. He expressed confidence that an agreement is still possible and highlighted the role of Qatari and Egyptian mediators in negotiating with Hamas to refine the proposal.
The negotiation process is expected to involve a detailed exchange between the mediators and Hamas to identify feasible and non-feasible elements of the proposal. Sullivan indicated that continuous consultations with Israeli officials are ongoing and expressed hope that progress would be reported in the coming week, aiming to move towards a resolution.
