Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a nearly 52-minute address to US Congress on Wednesday, where he notably did not mention ceasefire negotiations, despite ongoing international pressure to reach a deal.
The latest updates on the negotiations reveal that detailed discussions aimed at finalizing a ceasefire agreement have entered their third week. Both US and Israeli officials have expressed growing optimism about the prospects of reaching a deal before the crucial speech.
According to US officials, Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed on the broad framework of a potential deal. However, the negotiations are currently focused on ironing out specific details and addressing key technicalities. Mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar have been actively involved in facilitating these discussions.
A source familiar with the negotiations disclosed that an Israeli delegation, initially scheduled to depart on Thursday to convey Israel's latest response to the mediators, is likely to postpone its trip until at least Friday. This delay is attributed to Netanyahu's meeting with President Joe Biden, which has been rescheduled for Thursday afternoon. Netanyahu is keen on meeting with Biden before the Israeli delegation formally presents its response to the mediators.
