Decisive Hours: Intense Arab Efforts to End the Gaza War Quickly

16th December 2024

2 minutes read

Decisive Hours: Intense Arab Efforts to End the Gaza War Quickly

In recent hours, a series of intense meetings have taken place between prominent Middle Eastern and U.S. diplomats. These discussions focused on efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner exchange in Gaza, while also addressing challenges related to the post-collapse period of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, according to The Times of Israel.

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Truce Efforts

The newspaper reports that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed ceasefire efforts with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

Egyptian sources revealed that Israel has objected to some names listed among the Palestinian prisoners that Hamas demands to be released in exchange for the Israeli hostages held since October 7, 2023.

Among these names is Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Fatah leader currently serving a life sentence in Israel for his role in attacks during the Second Intifada.

The same Egyptian source noted that Israel proposed alternative lists containing recently detained Palestinian prisoners and requested that some of the released prisoners be relocated outside the West Bank or Gaza. Mediators may accept this as a compromise to overcome the hurdles.

Cautious Optimism

A report by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority mentioned that Palestinian sources familiar with the negotiations have, for the first time, shown cautious optimism about Hamas‘s willingness to reach an agreement, under joint pressure from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.

However, the main obstacle remains the nature of the ceasefire: Hamas demands a permanent truce, while Israel seeks a temporary halt to hostilities.

Israeli authorities estimate that out of the 251 hostages captured by Hamas, 96 are still held in Gaza, including the bodies of 34 individuals.

During a one-week truce in November, Hamas released 105 civilians, while Israeli forces managed to rescue eight live hostages and recover the bodies of 38 others.

Talks on Syria

Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the United States, the Arab League, and Turkey convened in Aqaba, Jordan, to discuss support for a political transition in Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last week.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized a broad regional consensus on the need for a new Syrian government that is inclusive, respects women’s and minority rights, opposes terrorism, and ensures the destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles.