Israel New hope for a ceasefire in the Gaza war
In the midst of the escalating conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, there is new hope for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. A "breakthrough" has been achieved at a point where negotiations were previously at an impasse, said a US government representative. "What we got back from Hamas was a pretty clear adjustment of their position, and we find that encouraging." The Islamist organization had sent a proposal to the mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt on Wednesday, which it said contained a number of ideas.
Report: Hamas backs away from its position
Hamas is no longer demanding a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops during the first phase of a three-stage plan presented by US President Joe Biden in May, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an Israeli government official. The first phase envisages the release of some hostages during a six-week ceasefire.
However, the official emphasized to the newspaper that the indirect negotiations remain difficult. The US news portal "Axios" quoted an Israeli official as saying that it could be two to three weeks before a possible deal is reached.
"We expect this agreement to lead to a permanent ceasefire," said the US government representative. According to Israeli media, the indirect negotiations are to continue today in Doha. The previous evening, Israel's security cabinet had discussed the mandate for its own delegation, led by the head of the foreign intelligence service Mossad, David Barnea. US President Biden welcomed the dispatch of a negotiating team approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu reaffirms his own goals
The most important point is that Hamas' response includes "flexibility" that allows both sides to enter the first phase of the agreement - even with the risk that the next phase will not materialize, "Axios" quoted Israeli officials as saying. According to the plan, the second stage envisages a permanent cessation of fighting and the release of the remaining hostages. 120 hostages are still believed to be in the sealed-off coastal strip, but many of them are probably no longer alive.
In a telephone conversation with Biden, Netanyahu reiterated that the war would only end when Israel had achieved all its goals, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages. He had recently held out the prospect that the last major Hamas units in southern Gaza would soon be crushed. This could at least put an end to the large-scale ground offensive, even if it would not be the end of the military operation in Gaza.
Israel is now increasingly turning its attention to its northern border with Lebanon. There, the Shiite Hezbollah militia, which is supported by Israel's arch-enemy Iran, recently fired more than 200 rockets and 20 drones at Israel in response to the killing of a senior commander. An Israeli reservist with the rank of major was killed in the attack, according to the Israeli armed forces.
Biden assures Israel of support
Hezbollah does not want to stop firing on Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. According to its own statements, it is acting out of solidarity with Hamas.
"President Biden reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to Israel's security, even in the face of threats from Iran-backed terrorist groups like Lebanese Hezbollah," the White House announced after Biden's meeting with Netanyahu. A meeting of the most important advisors to Biden and Netanyahu is also planned for July 15, it said.
An agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza war could be the most effective means of preventing a conflagration in the Middle East, wrote the "Wall Street Journal". Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting almost daily since the beginning of the Gaza war. Their intensity has recently increased significantly. There are concerns that the fighting could escalate into a regional conflict in which the USA and Iran could also be drawn into.
Iran is not only allied with Hezbollah and Hamas, but also with non-state actors in Iraq and Yemen. Syria is Tehran's only strategic partner at state level.
Israel allows thousands of housing units in the West Bank
Meanwhile, Israel's military administration has approved the construction of 5,295 housing units in the West Bank. Furthermore, three settler outposts are to be legalized, according to the human rights organization Peace Now. The High Planning Council, a body of the military administration for the West Bank, has passed the corresponding resolutions. The Israeli occupation authorities had already decided to legalize five outposts the previous week.
According to international law, any settlement activity in militarily occupied territories is illegal. Settlements are also illegal under Israeli law, but are occasionally legalized retroactively. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem, among other territories. Today, around 700,000 Israeli settlers live there among three million Palestinians. According to Peace Now, there were 250,000 in 1993.
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