The President of the United States has assured in a meeting with journalists in the Oval Office of the White House, held this Friday, that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip could be close to taking place: “I prefer not to jinx it, but We may have something”Hamas, for its part, has expressed its dissatisfaction with the negotiations in Doha and is referring to the original proposal put forward by the United States.

In the meeting with journalists, Joe Biden has stated that an eventual agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is “closer than I’ve ever been.”

Moments earlier, Hamas made public its Dissatisfied with the negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that what he has been able to learn about them “does not include a commitment to what was agreed on July 2,” in reference to the original proposal put forward by the United States, whose implementation they demand.

Shortly after the end of the meeting in the Qatari capital was announced, which brought together the Israeli delegation with the mediators – the United States, Egypt and Qatar – for two days, Hamas issued a brief statement claiming once again implement the original ceasefire proposal, without the subsequent demands that he attributes to the Hebrew State.

The Islamist organization, which has ruled de facto in Gaza since 2007, did not send a delegation to Doha precisely to demand the implementation of what was previously agreed “instead of continuing with new rounds of negotiations.”

“Constructive” negotiations in Doha

Mediators announced on Friday the end of “constructive” negotiations in Doha, and said they would continue talks on a US proposal in Cairo “that closes the gaps” between Israel and Hamas.

In the joint statement, they said the United States has put forward a proposal “that reduces the gaps” between Israel and Hamas, and that “it is consistent with the principles of the proposal by US President Joe Biden.”

A senior Israeli official told Channel 13 television that have made “progress” in the talksalthough there are still gaps regarding the management of the Netzarim corridor – with which Israel separates the north from the south of Gaza following the war – and the Philadelphia corridor – the border between Gaza and Egypt.

These are precisely the two points on which Hamas and Israel have clashed in recent weeks, with the Islamists blaming the Hebrews for take control of both corridors These are demands that came after the original proposal. Hamas has been attacking Israel for these demands since the end of July, when at a meeting with mediators in Rome the delegation sent by Benjamin Netanyahu demanded a mechanism to control the return of Gazans to the north of the Strip – to prevent the entry of militants – as well as control of the Philadelphia corridor and the Rafah crossing to prevent the smuggling of weapons from Egypt.

“The letter of July 27 does not introduce new terms. On the contrary, includes essential clarifications”Netanyahu said Tuesday. While negotiations move into a new phase in Cairo to address these gaps, the war continues in Gaza, where the number of Palestinians killed yesterday exceeded 40,000, most of them women and children, according to figures from the Gaza Strip’s Ministry of Health. The Israeli army said it has killed more than 17,000 Palestinian militants since October.

Internal and external pressures

The Foreign Ministers of France and the United Kingdom have paid an institutional visit to their Israeli counterparts in Jerusalem. In a joint statement, They have called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and a de-escalation of tensions with Iran. The United States Secretary of State Jeremy Blinken will travel to Israel tomorrowwhere he is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu next Monday.

At the same time, Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Tel Aviv to demand that the Israeli government reach an agreement with Hamas for the release of hostages.