US makes one last attempt at ceasefire before elections, but doubts progress will be made in Gaza before next US president is known

CNN-

U.S. officials are doubtful that a final diplomatic push in the Middle East this week will result in a pause in the fighting in Gaza before Tuesday's U.S. presidential election, according to people familiar with the thinking, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waiting to see who the next American will be. the president will be.

Hopes for progress in ending fighting in Lebanon are slightly higher, and the country's prime minister said Thursday he was optimistic that a deal to end cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah could be in the works. final phase.

We are doing our best and are optimistic that in the next hours or days we will reach a ceasefire, Lebanese interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in an interview with Lebanese media Al Jadeed on Wednesday.

Any progress in lowering temperatures in the region will be seen as a victory at the White House. Still, the sense that Netanyahu is waiting for the end of the U.S. election campaign, a long-held view within the Biden administration, remains strong as top envoys travel to the region to discuss prospects for ending the violence.

CIA Director Bill Burns was in Cairo on Thursday for discussions on Gaza and Lebanon, including a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

At the same time, US envoy Amos Hochstein and White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk are in Israel for talks on hostage and ceasefire issues as well as a discussion on Iran, all focused on the American policy of de-escalation supported by deterrence.

Hopes of reaching a deal to end fighting on the Israeli-Lebanese border have recently been boosted by progress in talks over the past few days, and Hochstein is expected to continue talks this week.

On Thursday, Netanyahu told Hochstein and McGurk that Israel must have the ability to enforce a possible ceasefire agreement in Lebanon to thwart threats emanating from the country.

Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear that the main point was not this or that agreement on paper, but Israel's ability and determination to enforce the agreement and thwart any threat to its security from Lebanon, way to allow our residents to return home safely. , indicates the press release.

The U.S. envoys also met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss security arrangements related to northern Israel, Lebanon and the return of hostages from Gaza.

But with the conclusion of a closely fought US election in sight, there is little hope that the final effort toward ending the war in Gaza will result in immediate success.

It is therefore likely that the war in Gaza will continue to overshadow American rivalry in its final days. Wednesday evening, minutes after Vice President Kamala Harris' speech in Madison, some disturbances broke out inside the arena, which was filled with many students from the nearby University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ceasefire now! » shouted a demonstrator.

We all want the war in Gaza to end and the hostages to be released, Harris said, adding that she would do everything in her power to end the conflict in the Middle East.

As a few more protesters echoed through the crowd, she added dryly: Everyone has the right to be heard, but right now, I'm the one speaking.

The scene, which has been repeated at Harris rallies throughout her abbreviated campaign, demonstrates the political risk the Middle East has become for the Democratic candidate.

Harris almost always emphasizes the need for a ceasefire, even if talks to achieve one have stalled.

This week, U.S. officials traveling to the Middle East hope to make a last-ditch effort to resolve conflicts before the election, but they are realistic about the likelihood of major breakthroughs.

In Cairo, Burns is expected to continue discussing a new proposal raised in recent days by the United States, Israel and Qatar, involving a one-month ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of some hostages.

After months of on-and-off negotiations, U.S. officials are cautiously hopeful that the new proposal can jump-start negotiations, particularly after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

But a number of details remain up in the air, according to sources close to the negotiations, including the number and distribution of Palestinian hostages and prisoners who would be released under the deal.

The temporary truce would be shorter than the first six-week phase that was discussed before the talks collapsed, two sources close to the talks said. Qatari negotiators, who along with Egypt are Hamas' main interlocutors, are currently discussing the limited proposal with Hamas, one of the sources said.

And pessimism persists that Hamas will accept any new plan that does not include a permanent ceasefire. Hamas wants confirmation that there is Israeli approval on any plan presented to it, said a diplomat familiar with the discussions.

On Sunday, Burns was in Doha to meet with Israeli Mossad Director David Barnea and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani in a bid to restart ceasefire talks following the death of Sinwar, who , according to American officials, should constitute a turning point in the war in Gaza. .

In Lebanon, where Israel is leading a major operation against Hezbollah, U.S. officials hope to find a diplomatic solution to end the violence.

After a conversation Thursday with Hochstein before his visit to the region, Lebanese Mikatis said he felt optimistic about a possible ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel in the coming hours or days.

Israel and the White House had previously downplayed a draft ceasefire proposal aimed at resolving the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which was circulating in regional media.

Many reports and projects are circulating. None reflect the current state of negotiations, the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement to CNN.

The White House offered the same message; National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said purported plans shared online did not reflect the current status of ceasefire talks.

CNN's Lauren Izso, Alex Marquardt and Mostafa Salem contributed reporting.

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