In a luxurious clubhouse overlooking Doha’s waterfront, negotiators faced mounting tensions as discussions dragged on past 3 a.m., fueled by months of ineffective back-and-forth dialogue. On the ground floor, members of a Hamas delegation, with their leader having narrowly escaped an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the death of seven family members, analyzed the nuances of yet another proposal aimed at bringing a halt to the ongoing war in Gaza. Meanwhile, advisors to Israel’s intelligence chief, intent on tracking down those accountable for the October 7, 2023, attack that had triggered the conflict, were engaged in their own deliberations upstairs.
Facilitators from Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt worked tirelessly to broker a resolution between two sides that were so deeply entrenched in their enmity that direct communication was out of the question. Were they finally on the brink of reaching an agreement to pause hostilities and facilitate the return of dozens of Israeli hostages? “There was a profound level of suspicion present. Trust was non-existent,” noted an anonymous Egyptian official involved in the discussions. The talks faltered over contentious issues concerning military withdrawals and Hamas’s obligation to disclose the status of the hostages being held.
The situation came to a head when Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced a ceasefire agreement last Wednesday evening. Mediators had to quickly address objections from both parties. Even so, disagreements and delays lingered for two days following the announcement. Fortunately, a pause in hostilities was observed this week as three young Israeli women were freed from captivity, in addition to a release of numerous Palestinian prisoners by Israel, indicating that the fragile agreement had managed to hold.
The complex story of how Israel and Hamas arrived at a ceasefire stretches back over a year. However, new timing and the unlikely convergence of key partners played a crucial role in breaking the impasse. “In the past week, circumstances finally converged in a way that made progress possible after 15 months of violence and turmoil,” remarked Mehran Kamrava, a government professor at Georgetown University in Qatar.
Significantly, the negotiations emerged during a unique political moment, with one U.S. presidential administration transitioning to another. Both outgoing and incoming administrations were invested in securing the release of around 100 Israeli hostages and bringing an end to a conflict that had initially sparked when Hamas’s attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel. Palestinian health authorities reported that more than 47,000 lives have been lost in Gaza amid ongoing violence, though these figures group both civilians and militants together.
In Qatar, which holds a valuable position as a mediator in a region rife with tension, the discussions unfolded under the auspices of a country that hosts the largest U.S. military installation in the region, while also providing office space for members of Hamas and the Taliban. Egypt too was motivated to stabilize a situation that had led to a surge of Palestinians migrating across its border and attacks on maritime routes by Houthi rebels, thereby working diligently to facilitate ongoing talks.
These developments uniquely paired Sheikh Mohammed with unexpected allies. Former President Joe Biden sent Brett McGurk, an experienced diplomat across both political parties, while former President Donald Trump designated Steve Witkoff, a New York real estate mogul lacking diplomatic experience but with personal ties to Trump, as his envoy. Their joint efforts culminated in an agreement that outlined continued negotiations with the possibility to secure the release of remaining hostages and thus potentially ending a brutal conflict that laid waste to large swaths of Gaza and unsettled the entire region.
Despite the eventual success of these negotiations, they were preceded by months of gridlock, primarily illuminating the complexities surrounding the number of hostages and prisoners exchanged, as well as the conditions for Israeli troop withdrawals from the war-torn region. In late May, Biden proposed a plan originating from Israel which emphasized a phased arrangement aimed at achieving “sustainable calm” — an echo of previous discussions mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
Stalled efforts followed a tragic incident in late July involving an Israeli airstrike that killed Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’s political bureau, and subsequent findings of six hostages’ bodies in Gaza. “The killing of hostages signals a lack of interest in reaching a deal,” stated Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. After strengthened Israeli military actions that resulted in the death of Yahya Sinwar, a key architect of the initial attack, the pressure on Hamas intensified.
In a surprising turn, Qatari officials, frustrated with scant progress, declared a pause in mediation until both sides exhibited a genuine willingness to negotiate. Weeks later, Trump sent Witkoff to Doha to assess obstacles in the talks, which resumed swiftly afterward, showing improvement the following month.
Discussions continued, with both Biden and Trump’s representatives collaborating effectively to energize the negotiations. The Egyptian official reflected on prior successes with Hamas being met with new demands imposed by Netanyahu, while an Israeli counterpart observed that recent developments had urged Hamas to offer real compromises rather than just surface negotiations.
As discussions progressed, there were notable instances of cooperation between the aides of Biden and Trump, aiding in bridging communication gaps. “Their joint efforts have been instrumental in creating an environment conducive to healing negotiations,” remarked Majed Al Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A breakthrough occurred in early January when Hamas consented to release a list of hostages as part of the initial stages of their agreement. This pivotal development prompted immediate reactions, with McGurk flying to Doha and Witkoff to Israel to broker further talks. These negotiations intensified as they sought to finalize an arrangement, which involved meticulous dialogues that often spanned long hours.
As discussions reached a climax late on Tuesday, the focus shifted to another venue, where technical delegations from both sides focused on fine-tuning the agreement’s specifics. “We were tirelessly negotiating until the early hours of Wednesday,” recounted the Egyptian official involved in the talks.
In the lead-up to an anticipated announcement, last-minute disagreements arose, resulting in a delay that involved extensive negotiations among officials, culminating in an eventual agreement announcement hours later. However, even with this accord, further talks remained necessary to finalize the implementation processes, keeping diplomats engaged well into the early morning.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed hopes that the deal would foster a moment of national unity and recovery. Nevertheless, the road ahead remains uncertain, as the arrangement stipulates follow-up talks in about a week to deliberate on the second phase, which includes discussions on all remaining hostages and aims for a permanent ceasefire. Yet, many insiders warn that the most arduous challenges lie ahead.
