The mediators announce a “bridging proposal” that will pave the way for regional de-escalation and an end to the war.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt said in a joint statement that mediators had put forward a “bridge proposal” that would enable the “rapid” implementation of an agreement that would end the war in Gaza and result in the release of Israeli prisoners.

The three countries said on Friday that the ceasefire talks in Doha were “serious and constructive”.

The current round of talks began on Thursday amid growing fears of a regional war after Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.

Friday’s statement reiterated previous statements by the mediators rejecting any delay in implementing an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of prisoners.

“The way is now clear for this outcome: lives will be saved, the people of Gaza will be helped and tensions in the region will be reduced,” the three countries said on Friday.

Joint statement by the United States, Egypt and Qatar#ForeignMinistryQatar pic.twitter.com/A7myXPKsh3

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) 16 August 2024

The announcement did not provide details of the latest proposal, but said it builds on an agreement put forward by US President Joe Biden in May.

The US-backed plan envisions a multi-stage effort to end the war, beginning with a six-week pause in fighting to allow the release of some Israeli prisoners held in Gaza and Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.

The second phase will see the fighting finally stopped and all remaining Israeli prisoners released. The final part of the agreement will cover the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by the Israeli war.

“The working groups will continue their technical work on the details of implementation in the coming days, including arrangements for implementing the agreements, comprehensive humanitarian provisions and details related to hostages and prisoners,” the mediators said in a joint statement.

Hamas has said it would only agree to an agreement that would result in a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a “serious” prisoner exchange.

Israel itself has not yet formulated a clear vision for ending the war. Although some Israeli politicians have said they would support the proposed ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that the war will continue until his country achieves “total victory.”

White House spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday that the talks in Doha had gotten off to a “promising” start. “This is vital work. The remaining obstacles can be overcome and we must bring this process to a conclusion,” he told reporters.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry also said on Wednesday that the mediators were “determined to advance their efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”