Biden, Harris Receive Security Briefing on Middle East Ahead of Doha Cease-Fire Talks

Biden, Harris Receive Security Briefing on Middle East Ahead of Doha Cease-Fire Talks

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the Democratic nominee for the upcoming presidential election, were briefed on Wednesday by their national security team regarding the escalating situation in the Middle East.

The briefing occurred just before crucial negotiations set to begin on Thursday in Doha, Qatar, where diplomats will discuss efforts to establish a cease-fire in Gaza, a region under intense siege.

The talks are taking place amidst rising tensions, with the region on high alert for a possible retaliatory strike from Iran. This follows the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month—a killing for which Iran blames Israel, though Tel Aviv has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

According to the White House, Biden and Harris were briefed on U.S. military efforts to bolster Israel’s defense and updated on ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing regional tensions and securing a cease-fire and hostage release agreement.

In a further move, the White House announced that CIA Director Bill Burns and Brett McGurk, the president’s senior Middle East advisor, will represent the U.S. at the negotiations in Doha.

Meanwhile, Hamas announced that it will not participate in the upcoming talks. The group had previously demanded that mediators present a plan to implement a cease-fire agreement, which was tentatively supported by President Biden in early July.

Despite pressure from Egyptian, Qatari, and U.S. mediators, the ongoing indirect talks between Israel and Hamas have yet to yield a concrete agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thus far refused Hamas’s demand to cease military operations in Gaza as part of the cease-fire terms.

The conflict has resulted in the deaths of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, as Israel continues its extensive bombardment of Gaza, leaving vast portions of the territory in ruins. Amidst this devastation, Gazans are suffering from severe shortages of essential supplies due to ongoing Israeli restrictions.

The current conflict was triggered by a cross-border attack led by Hamas on October 7, which claimed the lives of 1,139 people, sparking the brutal war that continues to devastate the region.