The negotiations appeared to gain momentum on Monday as Arab and American mediators pushed for an agreement before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office.
High-level cease-fire talks appeared to be gaining momentum on Monday as Arab and American mediators pressed for an agreement to halt the fighting in Gaza and release hostages held by Hamas before President-elect Donald J. Trump assumes office on Jan. 20.
It was still unclear whether the parties had reached any resolution on central disputes that have proved insurmountable in previous rounds of negotiations.
On Monday, Jake Sullivan, the American national security adviser, said there was “a distinct possibility” that Hamas and Israel could agree to a deal this week. “The question is now can we all collectively seize the moment and make this happen,” he told Bloomberg in an interview.
Later in the day, an Arab diplomat said “real progress” was being made in the talks, and two Israeli officials said a draft agreement was awaiting Hamas’s approval, with the next 24 hours seen as being critical.
Other Israeli officials said that the optimal conditions for an agreement had been created, making a breakthrough possible. These officials said that the emerging agreement would allow Israel to maintain a buffer zone in Gaza during its implementation and that Israeli forces would not leave the territory until the release of all hostages.
They also said it would allow displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza to return to the north while unspecified “security arrangements” were enforced.