In view of the fears of a major war in the Middle East, the mediators are pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. This is seen as the key to defusing the situation. Meanwhile, the USA is warning Iran.
Amid growing concerns about a conflagration in the Middle East, mediators in the difficult negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza war have used forceful words to urge Israel and the Islamist Hamas to reach an agreement. Both sides have been called upon to resume talks on August 15 in Doha or Cairo “to close all remaining gaps and begin implementing the agreement without further delay,” said a joint statement signed by Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President Joe Biden.
It comes at a critical time, as Iran and its allies such as Hamas have vowed retaliatory strikes against Israel for the killing of two senior figures in Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. The US, Israel’s most important ally, has warned Iran that its newly elected government and economy could suffer a devastating blow if a major attack is launched against Israel, according to the Wall Street Journal. The warning was conveyed to Tehran both directly and through intermediaries, the newspaper quoted a US official as saying.
Report: USA warns Iran
“The United States has made it clear to Iran that the risk of major escalation in the event of a significant retaliatory attack against Israel is extremely high,” it said, without giving any details. The Israeli security cabinet met in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening to discuss the tense situation. “There is absolutely no legitimate basis for Iran to launch a military attack against Israel, which it continues to threaten,” a senior US government official in Washington said. The United States is prepared for every eventuality.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured his Israeli counterpart Joav Galant of the US’s support over the phone and referred to the deployment of additional military forces to the region, including F-22 Raptor fighter jets. They are one of many measures to deter, defend Israel and protect American forces in the region, Austin wrote after the phone call on Platform X. At the same time, he stressed the importance of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that would lead to the release of the hostages, Austin said.
US official on Gaza deal: No time to lose
The statement made by the mediators does not have anything to do directly with Iran and its threats, said the US official. But if Iran were to attack, there would be no prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza because they would be busy with other things. It is not as if the agreement will be ready for signature next Thursday. “There is still a lot to do. But we believe that what is left here can really be bridged and we really have no time to lose,” said the government official.
It is time to “provide immediate relief” to both the suffering population in Gaza and the hostages and their families, the mediators said in their statement. They have worked “tirelessly for many months to forge a framework agreement that is now on the table and for which only the details of implementation remain to be clarified,” the statement continued. “There is no more time to lose and no excuses for further delays.” They are ready, if necessary, to present a final bridging proposal that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a way “that meets the expectations of all parties.”
Israel sends delegation to Gaza negotiations
After the statement was published, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel would send a delegation to a location yet to be determined on August 15 “in accordance with the proposal of the United States and the mediators” “to determine the details of the implementation of the framework agreement.” The hostages’ relatives’ forum thanked the three mediators and, according to the Times of Israel, appealed to Netanyahu and his government to “show leadership” and conclude an agreement “for the return of all hostages.” According to Israel’s count, Hamas still has 115 hostages in Gaza, but many of them are probably no longer alive.
Israeli Defense Minister Galant previously addressed the population of Lebanon’s northern neighbor in an unusual message in light of the conflict with Hezbollah, an Iranian ally. “If Hezbollah continues its aggression, Israel will fight it with all its might,” Galant warned in Arabic on Platform X. Israel is striving “for peace, prosperity and stability on both sides of the northern border. That is why we will not allow the Hezbollah militia to destabilize the border and the region,” the minister said, citing an Arabic proverb, according to his office: “He who plays with fire must expect destruction.”
After the killing of a military commander of the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and a leader of the allied Hamas in Iran, the danger of a major war in the Middle East has increased significantly. Iran, Hezbollah and the Islamist Hamas have announced retaliation against Israel. Hezbollah and Israel have been fighting daily since the beginning of the Gaza war. Numerous civilians have been killed, especially in Lebanon, but also in Israel. In addition, more than 350 Hezbollah members and Israeli soldiers were killed. Tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border have left their homes.
EU chief diplomat condemns Israel’s actions against diplomats
Meanwhile, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, sharply criticized Israel’s actions against eight Norwegian representatives. The fact that the Israeli government had withdrawn the diplomatic status of these people contradicted the agreement reached in Oslo to resolve the Middle East conflict and disrupted relations and cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, Borrell said in Brussels. He condemned this unfounded decision in the strongest possible terms. This position had been communicated to the Israeli government via the head of the EU delegation in Tel Aviv.
“This is not a bilateral issue between Israel and Norway, but one of interest to all those who are committed to peace and stability in the Middle East,” he explained. The Israeli Foreign Ministry had previously announced that Foreign Minister Israel Katz had informed Norway that he was revoking the diplomatic status of Norwegian representatives in Israel who were responsible for the Palestinian territories. The reason given was “a series of anti-Israel and unilateral steps by the Norwegian government.” In May, Norway, like Spain and Ireland, decided to recognize a Palestinian state.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
