The talks may be the last chance to head off an Iranian strike on Israel, as tensions boil over in the Middle East.
and securing the release of scores of hostages, with a potential deal seen as the best hope of heading off an even larger regional conflict.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby called the talks an important step and said they're expected to run into the next day. He said a lot of work remains, given the complexity of an agreement and that negotiators were focusing on its implementation. The mediators have spent months trying to hammer out a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release scores of hostages captured in the October 7 attack that triggered the war in exchange for a lasting cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies Israel has made new demands, but he has also repeatedly raised questions over whether the cease-fire would last, saying Israel remains committed to "total victory" against Hamas and the release of all the hostages.The death toll in Gaza has passed 40,000, according to local health authorities.
More recently, Hamas has objected to what it says are new Israeli demands to maintain a presence along the Gaza-Egypt border and a road dividing northern and southern Gaza.Israel denies these are new demands, saying it needs a presence along the border to prevent weapons smuggling and that it must search Palestinians returning to northern Gaza to ensure they are not armed.
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