CIA director leaves Qatar without breakthrough in Gaza ceasefire talks

After over a year of facilitating negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release between Hamas and Israel, the Biden administration has learned to be cautious with its expectations.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in light of widespread reports suggesting an imminent deal and the arrival of CIA Director William J. Burns in Qatar for what could be the final round of talks under the Biden administration, expressed optimism, saying he was hopeful, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

However, Blinken also referenced a familiar scenario, saying, “there’s the Lucy and the football moment,” explaining, “when Lucy puts the football down and Charlie Brown comes up to kick it, and Lucy pulls the football away.”

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who visited the region last week, echoed this cautious optimism, telling MSNBC that a deal was close, but “we’ve been close before.” No progress toward an agreement was reported on December 19. According to a US official, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of diplomatic matters, Burns left Doha after just one day and is no longer in the Middle East, though a US delegation remains in the region. 

One factor pushing the talks toward resolution is the approaching change of administration in Washington, now only weeks away. A member of a diplomatic mission in the region, who also requested anonymity, speculated that both Israel and Hamas, along with US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators in Doha, “want to prepare the ground for Trump.” “They know that if they don’t reach such an agreement it will not be a good thing for any of them, including the Israelis,” this person stated. “I think this has resulted in a lot of developments. ... The question is whether they wait for Trump” or not. At a press conference, President-elect Donald Trump warned that “all hell’s going to break out” if the remaining 100 or so hostages held by Hamas — not all of whom are still alive — are not returned to Israel by his January 20 inauguration. 

While most of the hostages are Israeli, there are also hostages from other nations, including three Americans believed to still be alive. Trump said he had “a very good talk” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last weekend and that “we discussed what is going to happen.” Netanyahu, commenting on their conversation, stated that he told Trump that Israel needed to “complete its victory” against Iranian proxies. “It seems there are some obstacles,” said a former Egyptian official familiar with the negotiations. 

While the explanations of the obstacles from Israel, Hamas, and the mediators vary in specifics and emphasis, they all reflect disagreements that have persisted since negotiations began last December after an initial six-day ceasefire and the release of about 100 hostages. Key differences between the parties include the number and identity of hostages Hamas will release during the first six-week phase of the proposed three-phase agreement, as well as the number and selection of Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged. 

By Naila Huseynova