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Hamas says it is seeking an agreement with Israel, but important differences persist

Hamas says it is seeking an agreement with Israel, but important differences persist

The possibility of a high-level fire between Hamas and Israel appears closer than ever, according to state and Israeli officials. This will be the first concrete sign of optimism in the months within the Biden administration, considering that the negotiations could culminate before the end of President Joe Biden’s mandate on January 20th. However, I am still waiting to resolve the key points that could return the meaning, according to the above statements.

US National Security Assistant Jon Finer signaled that he had made “significant progress” but was cautious about the possibility of an imminent announcement:

“I don’t want to make predictions, I’ve been waiting for a long time. However, we believe that there is an understanding of what Hamas should accept,” he said at the end of the month.

For his part, a senior Hamas official commented that he is “very close” to making a pact with Israel, while the Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, confirmed that he has made progress in the negotiations conducted in Doha, the capital. of Qatar.

“Israel wants an understanding of the kingdoms. We are working together with our state friends to log it, and we will immediately know if the other party is also willing to join an entity,” Saar said at a press conference in Jerusalem.

Conflict points in negotiations

Despite the optimistic tone, important things persist that make it difficult for the sentiment to materialize. Among the most controversial issues is Hamas’s demand that Israel withdraw from Philadelphia’s Corredor, a strategic frontier on the border between Gaza and Egypt. Furthermore, Hamas insists on permanent fire, while Israel proposes a temporary suspension of its military operations, which began after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Another point of friction is Israel’s proposal to establish a buffer zone within Gaza, which would extend off the enclave’s eastern and northern borders. Hamas seeks for this zone to be limited to 300 and 500 meters from the border line, as it was before the conflict, but Israel wants to expand it by 2,000 meters, but, according to Hamas, it would leave a large part of the territory under Israeli control and it would be difficult for it to return. the abandoned ones at their hogares.

Furthermore, the negotiations include the release of Palestinian prisoners and the drawing of the map detailing the areas where Israeli forces will be withdrawn. Qadura Fares, head of the Comisión Palestina para Detenidos y Ex Detenidos, told CNN that he will go to Doha to consult on the list of detainees who could be freed if the agreement was concrete.

Reactions in Israel

As the negotiations progress, political tensions in Israel intensify. Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister and far-right leader, described the possible appreciation as a “catastrophe” for national security. In a post on social media, he described the negotiations as a “love of surrender” that could include the release of Palestinian prisoners of those he considers “terrorists.”

These members of the Likud party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sent a card to the latter expression in which they expressed their concern about the negotiations and outlined three “red lines” that should not face the crusade: Avoid depending on third parties for the security of Israel, guarantee the release of all the rehenes and prevent a massive return of spaces to the north of Gaza.

Netanyahu, who has spoken about the progress of negotiations with Joe Biden, faces pressure from both Biden’s administration and Donald Trump’s new crew. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy for the Middle East, recently met with Netanyahu, while Brett McGurk, Biden’s coordinator for the region, worked together with mediators to resolve the pending issues.

According to a source close to the negotiations, Trump’s return to the White House could become a key factor in Netanyahu’s decisions:

“Netanyahu tries to keep in line with Trump. Even if you have a full account before 20% of your money, you need at least a mark that allows you to advance in the negotiations,” says the source.

Impact on Gaza and prospects from a high level of fire

As conversations continue, the consequences of the war in Gaza continue to be devastating. Since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported 46,584 deaths and over 109,000 deaths as a result of Israeli attacks. Many victims remained in the blasts due to lack of access to recovery equipment.

Israeli attacks in northern Gaza on Monday left more than 40 people dead and left behind decades after an attack on Gaza’s civil defense. Mahmoud Basal, who spoke to CNN, denounced that “the bombardments and the matanzas have not ceased to exist since the amanecer.”

The inhabitants of Gaza, even if they hope for a possible end to the conflict, express skepticism about the negotiations. Abdul Rahman Salama, a resident of Khan Younis, told CNN as he searched for appurtenances among the deceptions of his destroyed hogar:

“Every time they say there are negotiations, everything we discuss afterward is over the fracaso. The destruction is unreal. I hope that the war ends as regrettably as it began, but these negotiations are pure mentiras.”

For his part, Ahmad Salama, from the other place of Khan Younis, expressed:

“My family hopes that the negotiations will be successful to end the war. We want to go back to a safe place, stop living with my son and not have to leave another place again with our children and my mother”.

Desafíos para una cuerdo duradero

Although the progress in the negotiations generates some optimism, political tensions within Israel and discouragements on the issues have made the possibility of immediate and sustainable support difficult. Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, acknowledged that while receiving recognition before January 20 is “possible,” there are also significant hurdles:

“Estamos muy cerca, but estar muy cerca means that we too are far away. Let us not cross the goal line, we will not stay there,” Sullivan said.

For his part, Jon Finer said that some differences persisting for weeks have “resulted in or diminished,” suggesting that mediation efforts are advancing.

With the clock ticking towards the presidential transition in the United States, the outcome of the negotiations between Israel and Hamas could define not only the immediate future of the conflict in Gaza, but also the tone of relations between the United States and the Middle East, under a changing administration.

By Kimberly Novankosv