Mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a deal on Monday to end the war in Gaza, an official briefed on the negotiations said, after a midnight “breakthrough” in talks attended by envoys of both US President Joe Biden and president-elect Donald Trump.
The official said the text for a ceasefire and release of hostages was presented by Qatar to both sides at talks in Doha, which included the chiefs of Israel’s Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies and Qatar’s prime minister.
Steve Witkoff, who will become US envoy when Trump returns to the US presidency next week, attended the talks, the official said. A US source said the outgoing Biden administration’s envoy Brett McGurk was also there.
A round of ceasefire talks will be held in Doha on Tuesday morning to finalise remaining details related to the deal, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Monday.
“The next 24 hours will be pivotal to reaching the deal,” an official said, characterising the draft as the outcome of a breakthrough reached in the early hours of Monday.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said: “We are now at a pivotal point in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.” Biden will speak soon to Egypt’s president, Sullivan said.