Israel Talks on Gaza ceasefire in "full swing"
According to media reports, senior representatives of Israel and the US government are traveling to Qatar for the ongoing talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
06.01.2025, 03:59
SDA
The head of the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad, David Barnea, is expected in Doha on Monday, as the news website "Ynet" reported. In addition, a correspondent for the US news site "Axios" wrote that the White House's Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, had also traveled to the Qatari capital. Meanwhile, Israel is reportedly trying, with the support of the USA, to extend the ceasefire agreed with the Lebanese Hezbollah militia at the end of November, which is due to expire soon.
Sending the negotiators to Doha could mean that a possible agreement in the talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas is getting closer. However, such signs of hope have often been seen in recent months without a breakthrough being achieved.
Israel's defense minister issues warning to Hezbollah
Even if this were to happen, its implementation would be extremely complicated. This is demonstrated by the ceasefire agreed with Hezbollah in Lebanon on November 27 and initially valid until January 26. According to the Times of Israel, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Sunday that the Jewish state could be "forced to take action" if Hezbollah did not comply with the agreement.
The new round of negotiations on the situation in Gaza, which began on Friday at a medium level under the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the USA, is running at "full speed", wrote "Ynet". On Saturday, the publication of another hostage video by Hamas increased the pressure on the Israeli government once again. Once again, thousands of Israelis took to the streets to demand a deal for the release of all hostages and an end to the war. "Ynet" wrote that Barnea is expected to join the talks on Monday. An unnamed Palestinian official spoke of a "decisive day".
Hamas wants the USA to guarantee a permanent end to the war
According to unconfirmed reports, Israel has presented a list with the names of 34 living hostages who must be released in a first phase. A Hamas representative told the German Press Agency that his organization had not yet given its final approval to this list. At the same time, he emphasized that Hamas had also submitted a list of 34 hostages, but without saying whether they were alive or dead. The Israeli side contradicted this statement.
Hamas is still waiting for a written guarantee from the USA that Israel is committed to a permanent end to the fighting and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the Hamas representative told dpa. The issues of the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Netzarim corridor, which divides the Gaza Strip into two halves, and from the Philadelphi corridor along the border with Egypt were still being discussed, as was the return of the displaced persons to the northern Gaza Strip. However, they could be resolved by a declaration on the final cessation of the war and a gradual Israeli withdrawal during the term of the agreement. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far rejected these demands.
Hamas is also waiting for an answer from Israel regarding the Palestinians imprisoned in Israel who are to be exchanged for the hostages. The Islamists claim to have already handed over such a list. It is also disputed where Palestinian prisoners should be released. Israel only wants to release prisoners it considers particularly dangerous into exile, which Hamas rejects.
US mediator Hochstein expected in Lebanon
While a ceasefire is still being negotiated in the Gaza war, a pause in the fighting between Israel and the Hamas-aligned Hezbollah militia came into force six weeks ago - which could now possibly be extended. The "Jerusalem Post" reports that this is intended to prevent the war from resuming immediately after the deadline on January 26 or even ending the ceasefire prematurely.
The newspaper cites information from an Israeli government representative. According to the report, Prime Minister Netanyahu held a meeting with his security advisors on Sunday afternoon to decide on the next steps.
US mediator Amos Hochstein is expected in Lebanon for talks on Monday. One of his advisors told the "Jerusalem Post" that Hochstein will chair the first regular meeting of the committee, which is to review whether the agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been in force since November, is actually being adhered to.
Despite isolated violations, the ceasefire has largely held so far. However, Israel's Defense Minister Katz points out that several points of the underlying agreement have not yet been implemented. Hezbollah, for example, has not withdrawn its fighters from southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese army has not yet dismantled all weapons and terrorist infrastructure in the border area.
Lebanese army unable to fill vacuum
The two-month ceasefire deal that came into force on November 27 contains several agreements. Among other things, the Hezbollah fighters are to withdraw behind the Litani River around 30 kilometers north of the Israeli-Lebanese border and the Israeli armed forces are to leave the neighbouring country. At the same time, the Lebanese army is to increase its presence in the border area in order to fill the resulting vacuum.
"Unless there is a big surprise", the Lebanese army will not completely fulfill this task within the 60-day ceasefire, said the Israeli government representative quoted by the "Jerusalem Post". This in turn means that Israel's army will have to remain stationed there for longer in order to prevent Hezbollah from returning. The US government has already been informed of this.
Israel could have no interest in the ceasefire failing, writes the Jerusalem Post. Hezbollah has admittedly committed isolated violations of the agreement on the Lebanese side of the border since the end of November. However, Israeli territory, which was sometimes hit by dozens or even hundreds of rockets per day before the ceasefire, has not been fired upon since then.
