US official: Gaza ceasefire negotiations in 'final stage'

(Patria) - Negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release agreement are in the 'final stage', a US official said on Wednesday, ahead of talks between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, AFP reported.

Biden will try to close some 'final gaps' in his talks with Netanyahu at the White House on Thursday, but key elements, including the fate of the hostages, remain with Hamas, a senior administration official said.

'We believe it is in the final stage and that a deal can be concluded,' the official said on condition of anonymity.

'There will be a lot of activity in the coming week' to reach a long-sought agreement, he said, adding that the deal is 'not only possible, but necessary.'

The US official downplayed Netanyahu's fiery speech to Congress in which he promised 'total victory,' saying that talks with Biden will focus on the mechanics of the agreement.

A possible truce now depends on several issues regarding how the agreement will be implemented, with Hamas softening its demand for a complete Israeli withdrawal, the official said.

'I don't expect the meeting (with Netanyahu) to be a yes or no, it's a kind of 'how do we
fix these final gaps, and there are some things we need from the Israeli side, no doubt,' the official said. 'But there are also some key things that are only in Hamas's hands because the hostages are in Hamas's hands.'

Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, mostly civilians. Of the 251 people taken hostage, 114 are still in the Gaza Strip, including 42 that the military says are dead. More than 39,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the war.