Diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict in the Middle East intensified with the revelation of a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza of "less than a month" and the sending of two senior U.S. advisors to Israel to negotiate a possible agreement with Lebanon. These advances could mark a shift in the dynamics of conflicts in the region, but require crucial concessions from all parties involved.
According to a source close to the negotiations who spoke with AFP on condition of anonymity, the new ceasefire proposal in Gaza arose after discussions held in Doha between the head of the Israeli foreign intelligence service, David Barnea, the CIA director, Bill Burns, and the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The initiative includes a short-term pause in hostilities, the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
"U.S. officials believe that if a short-term agreement can be reached, it may lead to a more permanent understanding," the source indicated. Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have been mediating unsuccessfully to secure a ceasefire and an exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas.
In parallel, negotiations are underway for the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from Hezbollah at Israel's northern border. The possible ceasefire in Gaza and the pact with Lebanon would be steps toward stability since October 7. The potential agreement with Lebanon involves the reimplementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Israeli and U.S. sources suggest that Hezbollah may be more willing to negotiate after suffering significant losses in recent months. The last round of in-person negotiations for Gaza took place in August. Hochstein's visit to Beirut last week generated positive signals from Lebanese officials about the possibility of moving towards a ceasefire independent of the situation in Gaza.
These diplomatic developments come at a crucial moment for the Biden administration, which seeks concrete results before the end of its term. The possible agreements represent the first significant steps toward regional stabilization since the outbreak of violence on October 7.
