Qatar and Egypt, acting as mediators, are busy preparing Israel and Hamas to negotiate a plan under which Israeli attacks on Gaza will be closed in which thousands of Palestinian citizens have lost their lives.
US President Joe Biden first outlined an Israeli push for a cease-fire and prisoner-release deal in late May. Qatar and Egypt are now engaged in secret contacts with Israel and Hamas, which have launched diplomatic efforts ahead of this week’s talks.
What do we know regarding the cease-fire efforts?
After the failure of efforts to end the Israeli aggression, the call for a cease-fire at the international level is gaining momentum. Israeli attacks since October 7 have reduced much of Gaza to rubble, leaving 2.4 million of its population living on intermittent aid supplies. The United Nations says that children are dying of hunger.
Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said that no one can stop the efforts to eliminate Hamas and return prisoners. However, he is facing domestic opposition as well as international pressure, including from his key ally, the United States.
On October 7, Hamas captured 251 Israeli citizens, 116 of whom are in Gaza. The Israeli army says that 42 prisoners have died.
According to AFP, based on Israeli data, Hamas has suffered heavy losses since October 7. According to the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-controlled area, at least 38 thousand 243 people, most of whom are civilians, have been killed in Gaza in attacks by the Israeli army.
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Cease fire plan
Biden said on May 31 that Israel is proposing a three-phase road map for a lasting ceasefire and the release of all prisoners.
Phase one: Biden said the six-week phase one would include a ‘complete and total ceasefire’. Israeli forces will withdraw from all populated areas of Gaza. In exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many Israeli prisoners, including women, the elderly and the wounded, will be released.
Step Two: Biden said he would negotiate for a ‘permanent cessation of hostilities’ if both parties agree. This would include the release of all living prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Biden said that as long as the negotiations continue, the ceasefire will also continue.
Officials say Qatari mediators have focused on a permanent end to Israeli aggression, while Egypt’s role has been largely in arranging prisoner exchanges and providing aid to Gaza.
Phase 3: In this phase, Biden promised to develop a major plan for the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of the remains of the dead prisoners. The United States has pledged to join the process, but diplomats say the Gulf states will play a key role.
Start of work
The initiation of indirect negotiations will also be considered a success.
According to a diplomat monitoring the mediation: ‘Given the mutual hatred and distrust of the parties, the biggest difficulty will be in persuading them to negotiate. No guarantee can be given.’
Israel’s Mossad chief David Barnia visited Doha last week, following Netanyahu’s office said “gaps” remained.
Barnia will visit Doha once more this week. He is currently in Cairo with CIA director William Burns.
The CIA chief met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday. He is expected to arrive in Doha on Wednesday.
Netanyahu’s tough demands remain. His office says that under any agreement, Israel would be able to resume fighting until all of the war’s objectives have been achieved.
Netanyahu’s office added that the proposed deal would “guarantee no weapons smuggling from Egypt for Hamas and no return of thousands of armed men to the northern Gaza Strip.”
Hamas, which has called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces but has relaxed its demand for Israel to promise a permanent cease-fire, has accused Netanyahu of trying to undermine ceasefire efforts. .
Political leaders of Hamas Ismail Haniya warned that Israel’s recent attacks on Gaza City and Rafah would ‘require a fresh start to the negotiation process.’
Disadvantages
If the conflict continues, the parties will suffer a lot.
Biden warned his ally Israel that an indefinite war in pursuit of the vague notion of ‘total victory’ would only result in Israel being trapped in Gaza. Its economic, military and human resources will be badly affected and it will become more isolated in the world.’
According to experts, Hamas is engaged in a struggle for its survival and believes that it can maintain its existence.
Ahmad Fawad al-Khatib, a Middle East expert at the think tank Atlantic Council, said that Israel cannot wipe out Hamas.
He said: ‘There is no viable immediate alternative to challenge the group’s monopoly because of Israel’s war planning failures and Hamas’ deep roots in Palestinian society.’
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2024-07-10 02:31:40
