In Egypt are scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss ending the conflict in Gaza. Delegations from Hamas, Israel, and the United States will also convene in Egypt.
On Monday, direct negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding the 20-point plan are scheduled to start in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt’s Red Sea resort.
The talks, which take place on the eve of the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel that led to the war, have sparked hopes that the bloody conflict, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people in Gaza, will soon end. There are also numerous potential obstacles to sealing a deal, though.
Trump has urged the talks to “move quickly” in order to reach an agreement and has insisted that both sides are in agreement with his peace plan.
Trump said “the first phase should be finished this week” despite the failure of several initiatives to try to put an end to the conflict, including two brief ceasefires that broke, the bombardment of Gaza, which has now killed at least 67, 160 people, wounded 169, and forced the enclave’s two million or so people to starve.
Trump claimed in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that there had been “very positive discussions with Hamas” and other governments over the weekend to release the hostages, end the Gaza War, and, more importantly, finally have long sought peace in the Middle East.
He claimed that the discussions have been “very successful and moving quickly.” “I’m urging everyone to act quickly because there will be a lot of bloodshed,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the release of 48 Israeli prisoners held by Hamas, 20 of whom are reportedly still alive, might be made this week, which boosted expectations.
In exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners imprisoned in Israeli prisons, Hamas would implement the plan.
Israel has agreed to leave Gaza, and Hamas has also agreed to retake control of the region.
lacking in details
The proposal, which lacks details, contains numerous issues that are still unresolved.
Many on both sides of the deal have been enthralled by a vague reference to the establishment of a Palestinian state despite the absence of a specific date for Hamas’ disarmament.
Israeli forces have continued their assault on Gaza in the wake of the talks to begin.
Three people were reportedly attempting to get humanitarian aid when seven people were killed on Monday morning, according to Al Jazeera sources.
Even with Trump’s comments promoting the plan’s prospects, significant obstacles remained, according to Nour Odeh, a journalist from the Jordanian capital Amman.
She said, “There are a lot of details that could potentially derail” the negotiations.
Israel’s unwavering demand that all captives be released within 72 hours could become a sticking point.
Despite the withdrawal agreement, it also insists that its withdrawal dates and schedules have already been established.
She said, “All of these things need to go through delicate discussions.”
The Israeli media reported on Monday that the negotiations would now begin with Hamas representatives speaking with mediators, with Israeli and US representatives not speaking until Wednesday, perhaps reflecting these doubts.
In order for the talks to proceed, Trump has urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza, but strikes have continued all over the area.
There is no ceasefire in place, according to Israeli government spokesman Shosh Bedrosian, who told reporters on Sunday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described two phases that would take place once Hamas accepted Trump’s framework in an interview with This Week.
Hamas would first allow Israel to release its prisoners, and then Israel would retrace its march to Gaza’s “yellow line” in August, where its military was stationed.
Rubio argued that Israel’s bombardment had to end before the captives could be freed, and that Hamas should release them as soon as they were ready.
Future of Hamas a thorn in the side
A significant potential obstacle to Hamas’ future is also looming.
Trump’s strategy calls for the demilitarization of Gaza and forbids Hamas from holding any additional government positions despite allowing its members to continue in place if they renounce violence and disarm.
Hamas has welcomed the plan, saying it is prepared to negotiate the release of the prisoners and work for a “Palestinian national framework” that will determine Gaza’s future.
Netanyahu’s far-right coalition allies have been angered by the possibility that Hamas will continue to exist in any way. They have threatened to overthrow the government over the situation.
The main objective of the war, which is related to the Hamas monster massacre on October 7, is that the terrorist organization Hamas cannot continue to exist, according to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in a social media post.
He claimed that he and Otzma Yehudit, his party, had informed Netanyahu that they would step down from power if Hamas continued to exist after the captives were freed.
He declared, “We will not be a part of a national defeat that will set the stage for the next massacre,” which will also be a ticking time bomb.
Source: Aljazeera
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