On 4 July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Joe Biden that he would send a delegation to Qatar to resume ceasefire and hostage release talks with Hamas. Hamas revised its ceasefire proposal to allow Israel to sign without initially agreeing to terms for a permanent ceasefire, and instead parties would continue long-term negotiations over a six-week initial phase. This aligns with the U.N. Security Council resolution passed last month. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has attacked Israel from the north in support of Hamas, was briefed on Hamas’ revised proposal. Hamas also said that it rejects any plan that involves an international peacekeeping or governing force in Gaza.
Despite Netanyahu’s softening towards negotiation with Hamas, a statement from the Prime Minister’s office reinforced that the war in Gaza would end only after “achieving all its objectives.” Netanyahu has previously stated on numerous occasions that Hamas must be eradicated for the war to end. Reuters said that Israel Channel 7 news reported that Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right Minister of National Security in Israel, criticized officials in a board meeting for resuming ceasefire talks without consulting him. Hezbollah has stated that it will cease its fighting as soon as there is a ceasefire in Gaza. An anonymous Palestinian official close to the peace talks told Reuters, regarding the six-week initial phase, that “should the sides need more time to seal an agreement on a permanent ceasefire, the two sides should agree there would be no return to the fighting until they do that.”
While the current ceasefire proposals are far from perfect, reaching an agreement as soon as possible is essential for lasting peace. The proposed six-week period of ceasefire to negotiate long-term peace is much needed, especially for the war-torn Gaza Strip. Netanyahu has been questioned and criticized throughout the nearly nine-month war for his lack of clarity on the future of the Strip. If the current ceasefire negotiations are successful, it is likely that the most difficult conversations are ahead for Israel, Hamas, and other Palestinian officials. Both sides must be willing to continue peaceful negotiations for as long as is necessary to reach a lasting solution.
Since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing 1,189 Israelis and taking over 250 hostages, Israel has killed over 38,000 people in Gaza. The majority of those killed have been civilians. Ceasefire talks have largely been unsuccessful, aside from a six-week pause last November, during which Hamas released more than 100 hostages. A significant U.N. Security Council resolution passed last month 14-0, with Russia abstaining, urging the implementation of a ceasefire proposal in Gaza which largely aligns with Hamas’ revised proposal. The Security Council notably decided that if a resolution is not reached after the initial six-week phase of the ceasefire, fighting will not resume as long as negotiations continue. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated in recent months due to damaged infrastructure and limitations imposed by Israel on food, water, and medical supplies. Trucks sent by humanitarian organizations are piling up at border crossings due to closures and movement restrictions within the Strip (see the Israel/Palestine crisis index).
The renewed ceasefire and hostage release negotiations are an encouraging step towards ending the violence in Gaza, but discussions towards peace will likely be arduous. Netanyahu is attempting to balance approval from both Israeli citizens who demand that more work be done to bring home hostages and far-right nationalists who criticize negotiations and call for Hamas to be completely eradicated. Strong stances from both Israelis and Palestinians will make the continuing negotiations difficult, but a ceasefire will certainly be necessary to begin to build lasting peace.
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