While a troubled truce between Israel and Hezbollah offers the Lebanese desperately needed relief, Palestinians in Gaza feel abandoned, even as the US pushes for a renewed effort to end the fighting in the Palestinian territory.
For nearly a year, Hezbollah has vowed not to stop fighting Israel until it agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza.
In September, Israel intensified its campaign against the Lebanese group, assassinating its top brass and launching a fierce air and ground operation in southern Lebanon, which forced Hezbollah to abandon its demand for a ceasefire.
“Gaza is left alone. Hezbollah has its own calculations to abandon Gaza and preserve what is left of its forces. It’s not an advantage for us,” said Hatem Mohamed, 47, a resident of Gaza City.
“This agreement will allow Israel to focus only on the Palestinians and what is left of the Palestinian cause,” he added.
Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages have been at an impasse for months, with both sides refusing to reach an agreement on their demands.
Qatar, a key mediator in previous Gaza ceasefire negotiations, stepped back from its role this month and closed Hamas’ political office in the capital Doha after concluding that the two sides were no longer negotiating in good faith.
Turkey, which has ties to Hamas, denied reports that the group’s office had been relocated to the country, but said Hamas officials come and go from the country regularly.
“I don’t think a ceasefire in Lebanon would have changed much of the dynamics of a ceasefire in Gaza,” said Tahani Mustafa, senior Palestine analyst at the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank.
“Both sides have mutually exclusive demands and there is no pressure on Israel to actually back down and start taking the negotiation seriously. Israel wants to destroy Hamas, keep troops on the ground and potentially resettle in the north, which is unacceptable to Hamas,” she said.
“Hamas wants a total cessation of hostilities, the return of people to their homes in the north and no Israeli presence in the territory. This is completely unacceptable for Israel.”
Netanyahu “not ready” to end the war
Despite the setbacks, Israeli and American leaders have signaled that the truce in Lebanon could represent an opportunity to move forward with a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Biden administration says there may now be a “new opportunity” to move forward with a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza.
“Hamas is isolated. Hamas is now under pressure, and all eyes, not just in the US and Israel, but the rest of the world, are going to be on Hamas,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN this week.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the conditions for reaching an agreement to secure the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza have “improved,” but stated that he will not agree to an end to Israel’s war in the territory, as that Hamas has not yet been dismantled.
“(I am) ready for a ceasefire at any time. But ending the war, I’m not ready for that, because we also need to achieve the elimination of Hamas,” he said.
President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. will “make another effort” with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, to free the hostages and “end the war without Hamas in power.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament on Wednesday that his country was ready to contribute in “any way possible”.
On Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi met in Cairo to discuss ceasefire efforts.
Hamas said on Wednesday it was committed to cooperating with “any efforts” to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza after a truce was reached in Lebanon, but reiterated its demand for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, the release of prisoners Palestinians and the return of Gazans to their homes.
More than 250 people were taken hostage and around 1,200 were killed during Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The following month, more than 100 hostages were released as part of a short-lived hostage agreement and ceasefire.
Since then, a group of hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces. Of the 101 hostages believed to still be held in Gaza, at least 34 are believed to be dead.
Jihad Abu Yasser, a 26-year-old baker who lives in northern Gaza, called Hamas’ negotiating tactics “a failure,” saying the hostages alone were no longer enough leverage in negotiations with the Israelis.
“We have perhaps less than 70 hostages alive. If the war continues and we are stalling, and the (Israelis) are stalling, the hostages will die,” he said, adding that most Gazans feel this way. “Everyone is saying: What are we negotiating about?”
“People are saying that if Hezbollah ended (its war), then, God willing, we are close (to Gaza). These are lies,” said Abu Yasser. “For God’s sake, stop, stop, stop (the war).”
This content was originally published in Hope for ceasefire in Gaza dwindles despite efforts after truce in Lebanon on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
