In a psychological battle parallel to their intense war, Israel and the fundamentalist group Hamas are getting closer than ever to a humanitarian truce Yet the release of several dozen of the 239 kidnapped last October 7th. The Army released images of two of them (which it identified from Nepal and Thailand) being transferred that day by armed troops to the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza where the ceasefire – if the agreement is confirmed – could influence the one that extends in the north. . This Sunday, the Israeli-Lebanese border was, once again, the scene of attacks and reprisals.
“We have not yet reached an agreement, but we continue to work hard for it,” said the spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, Adrienne Watsoncoming up with the newspaper information The Washington Post on an agreement in principle for a five-day truce in exchange for the release of 50 hostages (children and their mothers) in several phases and an increase in the fuel entry in the Gaza Strip.
Qatar – a key player in the negotiation over its relationship with Hamas – warned that leaks could harm the negotiations but admitted that the pact is very close. So much so that now it is just a matter of overcoming technical obstacles. “The issues in dispute at the moment are more practical, logistical,” declared Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al Thani. “There were ups and downs but I think now I have more confidence that we are close enough to reach an agreement that can bring people back to their homes safely,” he said at a news conference in Doha with the head of European diplomacy, Joseph Borrell, in which he denounced that the Israeli offensive “does not respect international laws, conventions and practices.” “Every minute that passes without an Israeli ceasefire, the humanitarian, moral and legal disaster continues to grow,” he added.
Last week, Israel rejected the Qatari proposal, on behalf of Hamas, since it did not include the release of children and their mothers at the same time. In the midst of war, this is a very complex negotiation due to the clash of goals, fears and interests. The connection line between Tel Aviv (Defense and Army headquarters), Gaza Strip (Hamas leader, Ismail Sinwar), Doha (headquarters of Hamas leadership abroad and main donor to the Palestinian enclave) and Washington (main ally of Israel and with excellent relations with Qatar) have not always been smooth due to events on the battlefront.
Furthermore, while in the war cabinet, meeting again tonight, there were doubts and divisions about which objective is a priority (freeing hostages or destroying Hamas), Sinwar is unpredictable. He Palestinian most wanted by Israel From 7-0, the negotiation channel with Doha resumed after several days of rupture in protest against the entry of Israeli soldiers into parts of the Al Shifa hospital.