The Gulf nation of Qatar, which has been a mediator since the conflict in the Gaza Strip began, has expressed a loss of faith in negotiation efforts. This comes after Israel rejected pleas to halt their ground assault on the city of Rafah and Hamas requested that negotiations not be tied to the release of hostages. The country’s leadership has acknowledged that a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas does not appear to be a promising outcome.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has taken a strong stance, suggesting that countries asking Israel to refrain from attacking Rafah – a city that serves as a refuge for approximately 1.4 million Palestinians – are essentially asking him to forfeit the war. Efforts to negotiate a truce escalated this week, with Qatar, Egypt, and the United States all attempting to broker a ceasefire ahead of Israeli forces entering Rafah. This city is the last major populated area in Gaza that Israeli ground troops have yet to invade. Despite appeals from US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu has remained resolute that the operation will proceed, regardless of whether an agreement is reached with Hamas over the release of hostages.
Speaking at a news conference, Netanyahu said, “Even if we reach it, we will enter Rafah.” The Qatari Prime Minister, Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who has been in discussions with representatives from both Israel and Hamas, acknowledged that efforts towards a truce have been complicated by multiple nations insisting that any new truce include additional releases of hostages. He admitted at the Munich Security Conference that progress over the past few days has been less than promising.
On the other hand, Hamas has issued a threat to withdraw from dialogue unless aid is dispatched to northern Gaza, where aid agencies are warning of an impending famine. A spokesperson from the Islamic group told AFP, “There can be no negotiation while hunger ravages the Palestinian people.” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh reiterated the group’s demands: a ceasefire, withdrawal of the Israeli army, and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has dismissed pressure from several Western governments to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu stated, “After the terrible massacre of October 7, there can be no greater reward for terrorism than this, and this will prevent any future peace agreement.” Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday, accusing Netanyahu’s government of abandoning the hostages. The UN Security Council could vote as early as next week on a call for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza. However, this move could be blocked by the United States. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, fears that the draft resolution proposed by Algeria could disrupt the mediation efforts led by Washington, Qatar, and Egypt.
Israel carried out a significant operation in one of Gaza’s main hospitals, arresting around 100 people. This operation was based on “reliable information” regarding the presence of hostages. However, they later clarified that they had no concrete evidence. After the operation, electricity was cut off, and the hospital’s generators ceased to function. According to Hamas, this resulted in the deaths of six patients.
