Top U.S. Officials Head to Middle East to Try to Jumpstart Cease-Fire Talks
Top Biden administration negotiators are headed back to the Middle East on Thursday for a last diplomatic drive before the American election, though hopes are not high for quick agreements to pause the fighting.With Israel battling Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, William J.Burns, the C.I.A.
director and top American negotiator, is expected to meet with officials in Cairo on Thursday, according to a U.S.official who spoke anonymously to discuss sensitive negotiations.
At the same time, President Biden’s Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, and his de facto envoy on the conflict with Hezbollah, Amos Hochstein, will hold talks in Israel, the U.S.official said.The head of U.S.
Central Command, Gen.Michael E.
Kurilla, is also traveling to the region and is scheduled to visit Israel for discussions with counterparts there as well as with U.S.military personnel in the country, the U.S.
official added.The goal of all of these visits is to support the Biden administration’s policy of “de-escalation backed by deterrence,” the U.S.official said.
But progress in cease-fire talks seems unlikely in coming days, with the election looming on Tuesday in the United States.Officials briefed on Israel’s internal thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy, have said that the country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is waiting to see who will succeed President Biden before committing to a diplomatic trajectory.In his meetings with officials in Egypt, Mr.Burns is expected to discuss proposals to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a cease-fire, according to a U.S.
official and another person briefed on the talks.About 100 hostages captured in the Hamas attack in Israel last October remain in Gaza, and Israeli officials believe about two-thirds are still alive.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while...