section_path: Negotiation process/May 2024: Egyptian–Qatari proposal
section_name: May 2024: Egyptian–Qatari proposal
paragraph_text: May 2024: Egyptian–Qatari proposal
  
  On 2 May, Hamas outlined three points of Israel's proposal that it disagreed with. On 4 and 5 May, talks were hosted in Cairo, which were attended by Egyptians, Qataris, Hamas, and a US delegation led by CIA director William Burns. Although Hamas also sent a delegation, the Americans don't directly talk to Hamas, but communicate their proposals through intermediaries. Benjamin Netanyahu decided to not send an Israeli delegation.
  
  Previous negotiation had failed because Hamas sought a permanent end to the war, while Israel would only agree to a temporary ceasefire. The Egyptians and Qataris aimed to bridge this divide by separating the ceasefire into three phases, with negotiations for a "sustainable calm" happening only in the second phase. The wording "sustainable calm" was crafted by the Americans so that Israel would not have to commit to a permanent ceasefire upfront. The United States official hoped that the first 42-day ceasefire would lead to something "more enduring". On 6 May, John Kirby, an advisor to Biden, confirmed that CIA Director William Burns had played a key role in the negotiations that brought about the proposal.
  
  On 4 May, Qatar and Egypt presented the three-stage proposal. It was accepted on 5 May by Hamas. Netanyahu said the proposal was "far" from Israeli demands, but promised to continue negotiations. Israeli and Palestinian teams went to Cairo for further discussions. The Palestinian team included Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front. Hamas said it was committed to the 5 May deal it accepted, but would not entertain changes to the deal. On 9 May, Palestinian and Israeli negotiating teams, along with CIA Director Richard Burns, all left Cairo without an agreement.