Middle East: Gaza agreement: Pressure on warring parties grows

According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israel has accepted the latest US-backed proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Now it is up to the Islamist Hamas to agree, he said. Another summit meeting is scheduled for Sunday in the indirect talks mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar. Until then, negotiators are to continue to negotiate outstanding issues. The most important questions about the agreement and the current status.

What should the agreement regulate?

The proposed agreement, which is based on a draft presented by the USA at the end of May, initially provides for a complete and unrestricted ceasefire between Israel and Hamas for a period of six weeks. During this period, a first group of hostages, including women and elderly people, taken from Israel to the Gaza Strip will be released. In return, Palestinians imprisoned in Israel will be released. In addition, negotiations will be held on the conditions for a permanent ceasefire.

In a second phase, the fighting will be stopped permanently and the remaining hostages will be released. In a final step, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will begin.

Is an agreement now imminent and what is the problem?

US Secretary of State Blinken sparked optimism by saying Monday evening that Israel had accepted the latest US-backed proposal after negotiations had been virtually at a standstill for the past few months. At the same time, there have been recent reports that mediators are putting enormous pressure on Hamas leader Jihia al-Sinwar to agree.

A major point of contention in the talks is the so-called Philadelphia Corridor. This approximately 14-kilometer-long area is located in the southern Gaza Strip directly on the border with Egypt. Israel’s army captured the area in May. According to the army, there are several tunnels under the corridor – some so wide that vehicles can pass through.

Hamas reportedly smuggled weapons from Egypt into the Gaza Strip, among other things. Consumer goods, diesel and building materials were also brought through tunnels, residents reported. Hamas levied customs duties on these goods and used the money to finance itself.

Hamas is demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphia Corridor. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that Israel must continue to control the area even after a ceasefire in order to prevent weapons smuggling, for example.

Israel is now said to be ready to reduce its military presence along the Philadelphia Corridor, the news portal “walla.co.il” writes, citing two Israeli sources.

This week could be crucial for the negotiations. What else could influence the warring parties and mediators?

First, immediate events – such as the discovery of the bodies of six hostages by the Israeli army in the town of Khan Yunis last night. The men were still alive when they were kidnapped on October 7. “The days go by and we keep losing more hostages. We have to make a deal. We have to. Now,” wrote Israel’s opposition leader Jair Lapid on the X platform.

There are also fears in Israel that the hostages could now be treated even worse than they already are following reports of mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Blinken also says he wants to prevent “the conflict from escalating to other regions and becoming even more intense.” After the killing of two high-ranking enemies of Israel in Tehran and Beirut almost three weeks ago, Iran and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah threatened massive retaliation. Both are allied with Hamas and could reportedly refrain from a major attack on Israel in the event of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. If there is no deal, however, Israel must expect a possibly coordinated attack.