Negotiations are taking place in two cities today: In Cairo, a Hamas delegation is to comment on a proposal for the release of hostages. Western and Arab foreign ministers meet in Riyadh for talks.
Cairo and Riyadh – two cities in the Middle East where there could be a bit of movement in the stalled mediation talks on the Gaza war at the beginning of the week. A high-ranking delegation of Hamas representatives is expected in Cairo, which is likely to have one thing in its luggage: an answer. The response to Israel’s latest proposal for a deal, a possible ceasefire in Gaza.
Both sides are currently playing with fire, said Middle East expert Yossi Mekelberg from the British think tank Chatham House on the French broadcaster France24. “Israel is under pressure to do everything it can to free the hostages – and is threatening an offensive on Rafah with dire consequences if a deal is not reached.”
Hamas is aware of Israel’s constraints and is trying to negotiate a longer ceasefire instead of a short ceasefire. “Now the role of mediators is crucial to put pressure on both sides.”
Egypt first
Egypt, which has been one of the mediating countries in the current Middle East conflict since the beginning, is currently increasingly involved in the talks. Also because Qatar, as the previous main mastermind, has publicly expressed its frustration with the deadlocked negotiations several times.
Now Egypt comes first. A few days ago an Egyptian secret service delegation was in Israel. The talks went very well, it was said afterwards. As a result, Hamas representatives are now coming to the Egyptian capital again.
However, according to Israeli media reports, the deal in question would only involve a very limited agreement that would provide for the release of some female, elderly and sick hostages. Israel apparently makes the length of a possible ceasefire dependent on the number of hostages then released.
Blinken, Baerbock and Cameron in Riyadh
“There is some movement right now, a new momentum in the talks about the hostages and for a possible way out of the impasse we find ourselves in in Gaza,” said the president of the Saudi World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, in Riyadh at the weekend. Numerous high-ranking politicians are meeting in the capital of Saudi Arabia today for talks about Gaza.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is there, as are British Foreign Minister David Cameron, representatives from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is also expected in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the meeting: to hold discussions with all sides.
At the opening of the Saudi World Economic Forum, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, among others, stepped up to the microphone in Riyadh – and once again dared to make a controversial comparison: What is happening in Gaza has never happened before, not even in the Second World War in Germany, Abbas said literally. And he warned urgently about Israel’s impending offensive in Rafah. “We hope that Israel will stop this military operation and we call on the US to persuade Israel not to attack Rafah,” Abbas said.
Israel’s finance minister threatens to do so Coalition break
The Israeli government may be willing to postpone the planned Rafah offensive if a deal is reached with Hamas, according to reports. Israel could also be willing to compromise when it comes to the return of civilians to the northern Gaza Strip. The Israeli Finance Minister, Belazel Smotrich, has already threatened to break up the government coalition if the military operation is canceled.
Whether there is a large-scale military offensive this week in the border town of Rafah with tens of thousands of displaced civilians or a ceasefire in Gaza – the answer to this today probably lies partly in Cairo and Riyadh, but above all in Tel Aviv.
Anna Osius, ARD Cairo, tagesschau, April 28, 2024 10:01 p.m