Gaza War | Incompatible positions for a ceasefire

Temporary shelters in the Gaza Strip: In the background, smoke can be seen east of Gaza City following Israeli bombings.

Will the ceasefire come or not? On Monday evening, those who will play a key role in this matter met: US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , once again, this time without any journalists present. Over dinner, the two likely discussed war and peace in the Gaza Strip. It's encouraging that Trump has been loudly proclaiming for days that the guns will fall silent this week.

"I believe we have a good chance of making a deal with Hamas next week that includes the release of Israeli hostages," Trump said on Sunday. Now he must deliver, and that also means putting pressure on his guest to back down from his most extreme demands, such as the complete destruction of Hamas.

"Israel and Netanyahu are not interested in a ceasefire."
Adnan Hajajneh Professor at Qatar University

Parallel to the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu, negotiations on the specific points of a ceasefire are taking place in the Qatari capital, Doha. Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are mediating between the two warring parties, who do not want to engage in direct contact. According to information from the AFP news agency, the proposal on the table for a 60-day ceasefire stipulates that Hamas would release ten live hostages and several bodies during this period in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Observers are skeptical

However, Israel and Hamas disagree on two issues: When should the war finally end, and when will the Israeli army withdraw from the Gaza Strip? Netanyahu refuses to be tied on either issue, while Hamas insists on international guarantees that Israel will not launch any further attacks, even after the 60-day ceasefire expires. Hamas also demands that the UN and international organizations resume providing supplies to the population .

Observers are therefore skeptical. "Israel and Netanyahu are not interested in a ceasefire," Adnan Hajajneh, a professor of international relations at Qatar University, told the Al-Jazeera news channel, adding that the chances of a ceasefire are "very slim." Meanwhile, Israel continues to carry out deadly attacks on Gaza. According to the Health Ministry, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed in the past two days.

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