As the war in Gaza has continued for 10 months, hopes for a ceasefire are diminishing with each passing day. Despite U.S. President Joe Biden's pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire, the chances of reaching an agreement on Gaza have significantly decreased.
Negotiations have been ongoing for more than 10 months, and this week, U.S. officials, along with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, are expected to meet in Cairo for a new round of talks, although this has yet to be confirmed.
Israel's brutal attacks and bombings have nearly destroyed Gaza, displacing almost its entire population and creating a severe humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory.
The Israeli newspaper *Yedioth Ahronoth* reported, citing officials familiar with the negotiations, that the U.S. acknowledged its mistake regarding Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement that Netanyahu had accepted a proposal.
The newspaper further stated that the chances of reaching an agreement are slim, but efforts are being made to hold talks in Cairo on Friday and Saturday, with U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk already dispatched there.
A statement from the White House confirmed that President Joe Biden had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to accept the agreement and finalize the ceasefire and the release of hostages.
The statement added that Biden assured Netanyahu of full U.S. support, including assistance in addressing threats from Iran and its allies.
On Sunday, Hamas accused the U.S. of obstructing the agreement, claiming that the American proposal aligns precisely with Netanyahu's conditions.
The situation escalated after the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh and Fawad Shaker at the hands of Israel, raising concerns that the war could spread throughout the region. Diplomatic efforts have since intensified to prevent this.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Middle East to make progress on the ceasefire, but he returned home yesterday without any significant developments.
During his visit, Blinken was unable to meet with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and had to settle for a phone conversation.
The U.S. State Department stated that the two leaders discussed the recent ceasefire efforts and reaffirmed that no party in the region should take actions that would undermine attempts to reach an agreement.
The primary sticking point in the negotiations is Hamas's demand for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which Israel is unwilling to agree to.
Netanyahu has insisted that Israel wants to maintain troops along the Palestinian border adjacent to Egypt.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's office refuted reports about Israel's withdrawal from the Philadelphia Corridor, emphasizing that securing Gaza's southern border is crucial to achieving the objectives of the war.
Government spokesman David Menser said that Hamas uses the corridor for smuggling weapons.
During his visit to Doha, without directly mentioning the Philadelphia Corridor, Blinken stated that the U.S. does not support a long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza.
Since the war began on October 7, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, with over 100,000 wounded and displaced due to Israeli bombings.
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