Middle East

NPR - Mediators are working to close a cease-fire deal in Gaza after Hamas proposed amendments to a plan put forward by President Biden. Israel and Hamas are willing to reach an initial six-week cease-fire, with an exchange of hostages taken from Israel on Oct. 7 for Palestinian prisoners. But beyond that, details for a deal get tricky. Neither party has publicly agreed to Biden's plan. Hamas wants a guaranteed end to the war, removal of Israeli troops from the Egypt-Gaza border and a say in which Palestinian prisoners get released, NPR's Daniel Estrin reports on Up First. But Israel says it won't agree to end the war until it ensures Hamas will no longer govern Gaza. Estrin says mediators know talks are in a difficult stage now. There are still fundamental gaps between Hamas' desire to survive this war and Israel's desire to make sure Hamas doesn't survive. The challenge for negotiators is how to bridge that gap.