Negotiators were near to hammering out the final details of a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after marathon talks in Qatar, and U.S. and Egyptian leaders promised to stay in close contact about a deal over the coming hours.
More than eight hours of talks in Doha had fueled optimism. Officials from mediators Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. as well as Israel and Hamas said an agreement for a truce in the besieged enclave and release of hostages was closer than ever.
Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari earlier told a news conference that both sides were presented with a text and talks on the last details were underway.
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