Biden believes Gaza ceasefire talks have ‘a shot’ at succeeding

US President Joe Biden said talks about a ceasefire deal in Gaza have “got a shot” at succeeding.

A US official said on Friday that negotiators are working out logistics for the potential release of hostages and distribution of aid as part of any agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war.

The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity in keeping with rules set by the White House, said the proposal on the table bridges every gap between Israel and Hamas and mediators were making preparations before a final deal is approved.

As he left the White House for Camp David on Friday night Mr Biden said: “We are closer than we’ve ever been”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to travel to Israel over the weekend to “continue intensive diplomatic efforts” toward a ceasefire and to underscore the need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

Mr Blinken was expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the new deal, said an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with official requirements.

Mediators expressed hope that a deal was within reach after two days of talks wrapped up in Qatar and that they plan to reconvene in Cairo next week to seal an agreement to stop the fighting.

Both sides agreed in principle to the plan Mr Biden announced on May 31.

But Hamas has proposed amendments, and Israel has suggested clarifications, leading each side to accuse the other of trying to tank a deal.

The US official said the latest proposal is the same as Mr Biden’s with some clarifications based on ongoing talks.

In a statement, the militant group said the latest proposal diverged significantly from the previous iteration they had agreed to in principle, implying they were not disposed to accept it.

The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement saying it “appreciates the efforts of the US and the mediators to dissuade Hamas from its refusal to a hostage release deal.”

The new push for an end to the Israel-Hamas war came as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza climbed past 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities, whose counts do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Fears were still high that Iran and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon would attack Israel in retaliation for the killings of top militant leaders.

International diplomacy to prevent the war from spreading intensified Friday, with the British and French foreign ministers making a joint trip to Israel.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said in a statement that he told his British and French counterparts that if Iran attacks Israel, Israel expects its allies not just to help it defend itself, but to join in attacking Iran.

He also warned Iran — which backs Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi rebels in Yemen, all of whom have attacked Israel since the Gaza war started — to stop the attacks.

“Iran is the head of the axis of evil, and the free world must stop it now before it’s too late,” Katz said on X.