May 8th 2024.
After weeks of intense negotiations involving the United States, Hamas has finally agreed to a potential cease-fire in Gaza. This comes just as Israel announced an expansion of US support in the Palestinian enclave. According to Basem Naim, the chief of Hamas' political and foreign relations department, and a member of the Gaza bureau, the group accepted proposals put forth by Qatar and Egypt. However, they stated that it was still too early to reveal the terms of the plan.
On the other hand, Israeli officials seemed suspicious of the agreement, claiming that it was far from what was initially offered. However, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the deal was actually very close to what Israel had accepted. As a response, Israeli diplomats announced that they would continue to increase their assault on the Gazan town of Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians are currently seeking shelter.
In a statement, Israel said that they will be sending a team, along with Egyptian and Qatari dignitaries, to discuss the next steps with Hamas. Their goal is to exhaust all possibilities of reaching an agreement that is acceptable to Israel. While it is not yet known who else will be involved in these negotiations, US officials have stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet, including rival Benny Gantz, have not shown good faith in approaching the latest phase of negotiations.
The truce proposal between Israel and Hamas has been a topic of discussion for weeks, with the US, Egypt, and Qatar playing key roles. According to The Hill, the Biden administration has expressed concern over Hamas' response to the cease-fire after warning Netanyahu against launching an attack on Rafah. National security communications adviser John Kirby stated that President Joe Biden had spoken with Netanyahu before Hamas' response, with the primary goal of securing the release of hostages.
Kirby also mentioned that they want to see a cease-fire for six weeks, an increase in humanitarian assistance, and the safe return of hostages. He emphasized that they do not want to say anything that could jeopardize this process. The White House believes that a temporary cease-fire is the best way to secure the release of Israeli hostages. This strategy has proven successful in the past, with over 100 hostages being released in November 2023 after a week-long cease-fire following the first attack on October 7.
President Biden has consistently shown empathy for both Israel's occupation of Gaza and the attacks against Palestinians. As violent protests have erupted on college campuses across the country, Biden has stated that he supports the right to protest, but only in a peaceful manner. He also made it clear that violence will not be tolerated, stating that the United States is not a "lawless country" and that in a civil society, order must prevail.
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