WSJ: Biden enlisted Qatar and Egypt to pressure Hamas

Qatar and Egypt have in recent days turned up the pressure on Hamas’s leadership in Doha to sign on to a deal presented by the White House to secure a truce in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held there, The Wall Street Journal said, Report informs.

According to the Journal, which cited unnamed officials familiar with the negotiations, the two mediator countries threatened the terror group’s leaders with sanctions, including the freezing of their assets, expulsion from the Qatari capital and arrests. This was at the prodding of the administration of United States President Joe Biden.

Nevertheless, the group has signaled that it will reject the deal.

US President Biden laid out the latest Israeli proposal in a May 31 speech at the White House which multiple media outlets have reported took Israel by surprise. The offer envisions three phases of negotiations — which have faltered since April — beginning with a six-week truce during which the remaining living female, elderly and sick hostages will be released.

Disagreement between Israel and Hamas about the deal has hinged on its stipulation of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The Wall Street Journal, which reviewed the text of the proposal, said it played down the possibility of a permanent ceasefire, which would depend on talks held during the deal’s first phase. By contrast, the proposal contained multiple mentions of “sustainable calm,” said the Journal.