Israel skips Gaza peace talks, frustrating officials who believe deal is near

An Israeli delegation unexpectedly opted out of critical late-stage negotiations aimed at ending the Gaza conflict this week, leaving US officials dismayed and concerned that a deal was within reach.

Despite previously committing to attend, the Israeli representatives did not show up for the talks, and no explanation was provided, according to sources familiar with the situation, Caliber.Az reports quoting foreign media.

This development comes amid high-level discussions in the US government about sending CIA Director Bill Burns to facilitate the negotiations. The conflict, which began when Hamas militants crossed into Israel on October 7, has resulted in approximately 36,000 Palestinian deaths and around 250 Israeli hostages.

The US administration, while frustrated, does not view the Israeli absence as a deal-breaker but remains confident about the progress made. The proposed agreement largely mirrors a framework suggested by President Joe Biden in May, with recent concessions from both Israel and Hamas.

The timeline for resuming face-to-face negotiations among the involved parties, which include the US, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and the Palestinians, remains uncertain.