US-Palestinian mediator calls to end ‘useless’ Gaza War, cautions negotiations could take months

U.S.-Palestinian businessman Dr. Bisharah Bahbah, who has taken an active part in Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations, told i24 News on Monday that both sides have an interest in agreeing to a ceasefire and called them to return to negotiations.

“Israel is in a situation it does not want to be in. The Israeli public does not want to see soldiers killed in Gaza. And the situation for the Palestinians is unbearable,” Bahbah told i24.

The war, he said, has become a “useless operation” in recent months, endangering lives without advancing toward an end.

Despite reports that he quit his mediating role and the breakdown of talks with Hamas, Bahbah said that Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. continue to seek a ceasefire deal but cautioned that the negotiations for a comprehensive agreement, which the U.S. now reportedly aims for, will take a long time.

“Negotiations for a comprehensive deal could last months,” he said, adding that as long as the fighting continues, progress in the talks would be slow.

Therefore, Bahbah called for a two-month ceasefire that would allow space for negotiations during the break in the fighting.

This would save lives, avoid further endangerment to the hostages, and create the conditions for real progress,” he said.

According to Axios, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani talked about a comprehensive deal to end the war and free all the hostages this past weekend, while a Hamas delegation visited Cairo on Monday to continue discussions.

However, a source in Hamas told the Palestinian Quds Network on Tuesday that the terror group hasn’t yet received a new proposal.

The source said that Hamas and the mediators are in contact to ensure the continued supply of humanitarian aid and to increase it, while discussing a potential return to the negotiating table.

In addition, the Palestinian news agency Safa reported that a Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya is expected in Cairo on Wednesday.

Before the talks broke down around two weeks ago, the sides were “close to a partial deal,” Bahbah said.

“Every day you delay, 80 to 100 Palestinians are killed – sometimes more. Three weeks of deadlock means up to 2,000 deaths,” he warned.

“These are not numbers to be ignored while arguing over minor details like 100 meters of territory or a handful of additional prisoners.”

“I don’t care who I criticize. My only goal is to stop the killing and reach an agreement that ends this war,” said Bahbah.