Israeli Security Chiefs Join Critical Talks for a Cease-Fire in Gaza

Israeli security and policy chiefs arrived in Qatar on Sunday for high-level talks about a proposed cease-fire deal in Gaza that would see hostages released in the final days of President Biden’s term and before Donald J. Trump takes office.

Biden administration officials have been pressing for a deal that would become part of the departing president’s legacy, and Mr. Trump has warned that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if Hamas does not release the hostages before he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.

Lower-level negotiations have been underway in recent weeks after months of deadlock.

While some progress has been made, disagreements remain on several key points, including the timing and extent of Israel’s redeployments and withdrawal from Gaza and its willingness to ultimately end the war, according to several officials and a Palestinian familiar with the matter. They were speaking on the condition of anonymity because the talks are being held in secrecy and they were not authorized to discuss details publicly.

Representatives of the departing and incoming U.S. presidents have been cooperating on the issue, the Biden administration has said, while Qatar and Egypt are mediating between Israel and Hamas.

Brett M. McGurk, Mr. Biden’s Middle East coordinator, was already in Doha, the Qatar capital, putting together the final details of a text agreement to present to the two sides, Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, said Sunday on “State of the Union” on CNN.

“We are very, very close, and yet being very close still means we’re far because until you actually get across the finish line we’re not there,” Mr. Sullivan said.