Qatar, Egypt, and the US: Time to conclude a ceasefire agreement

The leaders of Qatar, Egypt, and the US on Thursday issued a joint statement in which they called on Israel and Hamas to resume urgent talks on August 15, either in Doha or Cairo, to bridge all remaining gaps in the proposed hostage release and ceasefire agreement and start implementing it without any delay.

"It is the time to conclude a ceasefire agreement and release hostages and prisoners," the statement added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in response to the statement, "Following the proposal of the United States and the mediators, Israel will send on August 15 its negotiations team to a place to be determined, to finalize the details for the implementation of the framework of the Gaza hostage deal."

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum responded to the joint statement and said, “On behalf of the hostages' families, we support and express our deepest gratitude to US President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for their unwavering commitment to securing the release of 115 hostages.”

“For 308 days, these hostages – including men, women, children, and the elderly – have endured captivity hell. Every moment there endangers their lives. This recent statement re-affirms what we've long known: a deal is the only path to bring all hostages home. Time is running out. The hostages have no more time to spare. A deal must be signed now!”

The families of the eight American hostages being held in Gaza responded to the joint statement and wrote, “For more than 10 months since Hamas’ mass kidnapping on October 7, we desperately await the release of our family members. We are appreciative to President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for their continued leadership and mediation in the international efforts to bring our loved ones home. A responsible agreement is on the table, and the negotiations must be finalized.”

“There are still 115 hostages from 20 different countries who remain captive in horrific, life-threatening conditions in Gaza, including eight Americans. The time is long past due to bring all the hostages home, end the plight of Gaza’s civilians and avert a major regional war. World leaders must not waver at this crucial moment.”

The US has been pushing a three-phase proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal which President Joe Biden outlined in late May.

Biden recently indicated that both Israel and Hamas had agreed to the outline and reiterated his determination to implement the proposal, even though Hamas rejected the Biden outline shortly after he presented it.

Recently, a US official said that the negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal are in their "closing stages".

On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the negotiations for a hostage release deal, telling a Cabinet meeting, "I am willing to go a very long way for the release of all our hostages while ensuring Israel's security. Our commitment stands in stark contrast to the leaks and false briefings on the issue of releasing our hostages. These briefings harm the negotiations, and unfortunately - they also mislead the dear families of the hostages. They create a false impression as if Hamas has agreed to the deal, and the Israeli government is the one opposing it."

"The exact opposite is true - the simple truth is, that until this moment Hamas has not agreed to the most basic conditions of the outline. While we have not added any demands to the outline, Hamas is the one that demanded to introduce dozens of changes to it. It has not withdrawn its demand that Israel cannot return to war, it demands that we withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing - its lifelines, that will allow it to rearm and strengthen again. It is important to establish the principle - we are not leaving those areas," he added.