Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal could be days away

US, joined by Egypt and Qatar, intensifies push for deal before Biden leaves office

An agreement to halt the 14-month-old war in Gaza and free hostages held in the Palestinian enclave could be signed in the coming days, with talks in Cairo making progress, sources briefed on the meeting said on Dec 17.

The US administration, joined by mediators from Egypt and Qatar, has made intensive efforts in recent days to advance the talks before President Joe Biden leaves office in January.

"We believe — and the Israelis have said this — that we're getting closer, and no doubt about it, we believe that, but we also are cautious in our optimism," White House spokesman John Kirby said in an interview with Fox News.

"We've been in this position before where we weren't able to get it over the finish line."

The sources said a ceasefire deal, which would stop the fighting and return hostages held by Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, could be days away.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director William Burns, a key US negotiator, was due in Doha on Dec 18 for talks with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on bridging remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas, other knowledgeable sources told Reuters.

The CIA declined to comment.