By V. E. K. Madhushani, Jadetimes News
Negotiators Report Significant Advances in Hostage Release Talks
The head of Israel's spy agency, Mossad, David Barnea, reportedly traveled alone to Doha to meet with Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, as momentum builds towards a possible ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.
This meeting is considered a preliminary move in what could become a complex series of discussions aimed at bridging the gap between the Israeli government and Hamas over their respective demands for any potential deal. Following Mr. Barnea's departure from Doha, the office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that significant gaps remained between the two sides, and Israeli officials urged caution, noting that expectations should be tempered.
The renewed hope for a deal follows Hamas's response to a three phase proposal set out by President Biden several weeks ago. This proposal aimed to delay the main sticking points, Hamas's demand for a permanent ceasefire and Israel's insistence on the freedom to resume fighting in Gaza if necessary.
While the specifics of Hamas's proposal have not been made public, Israel's response has been more positive than in previous instances. An Israeli negotiating team source described Hamas's proposal as including a "very significant breakthrough." Indications suggest that Hamas may have accepted President Biden's key point that negotiations to achieve a permanent end to the war would proceed through the first six week phase of the ceasefire rather than demanding it as an immediate starting point.
Hamas has consistently objected to being portrayed by the US as the primary obstacle to a deal. If it becomes clear that Hamas has made this concession, the pressure will shift back to Prime Minister Netanyahu. He has steadfastly committed to the complete eradication of Hamas and Israel's right to continue fighting in Gaza after any ceasefire, resisting internal and external pressure to modify this stance.
However, pressure on Netanyahu is mounting from all sides. A recent New York Times article, citing unnamed security officials, indicated that Israel's top generals want to begin a ceasefire in Gaza even if it temporarily leaves Hamas in power. Netanyahu dismissed this as defeatist, but he may not be able to resist such pressure indefinitely, especially given the growing anger on Israeli streets from those demanding the return of hostages in Gaza.
For Hamas, there are signs of growing despair among Gaza's civilian population, who suffer daily from the ongoing war. International mediators, like Egypt and Qatar, are also becoming impatient. Regional countries that support the Palestinian cause are reportedly increasing pressure on Hamas to accept a deal. Hamas's leadership might view the group's survival, even if politically and militarily weakened, as a sufficient victory.
For the international community, finding an end to the war is increasingly urgent, especially with the potential for the Israel Hezbollah confrontation to escalate into full scale war. A ceasefire in Gaza could help ease those tensions. Additionally, the Biden administration, still recovering from last week's debate between the president and Donald Trump, could benefit from a diplomatic success.
These factors suggest that the renewed hopes for a ceasefire and hostage deal may be more resilient this time, potentially overcoming the negative influences that have thwarted past efforts.
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