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Palestinian Official: Gaza Cease-fire Negotiations in Final Stages
Above: Palestinians who are struggling with hunger wait in line to receive meals distributed by charities while Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip continue in Khan Younis, Gaza on Dec.17, 2024. Image copyright: Abed Rahim Khatib/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
A senior Palestinian official told the BBC on Tuesday that negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages are in their final stages, with the US, Qatar, and Egypt having resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks.
Hamas said that a deal was possible but only if Israel stopped setting new conditions. Egyptian security officials said that one of the main remaining points of contention was over guarantees that any immediate deal would lead to a comprehensive agreement later.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Now that quiet has been found on the Lebanese-Israeli border, the US will continue to work toward a cease-fire in Gaza that ensures the release of Israeli hostages and the end of Hamas' rule over the Palestinian enclave. The recent events in Syria further solidify the need for stability, and the US will work toward that goal.
Pro-Israel narrative
Now that Hezbollah has been decimated and the Syrian regime has collapsed, Israel should take seriously the prospects of making a deal for a cease-fire in Gaza that ensures the release of the hostages. Syria, of course, will most likely still pose a threat to Israel, but Iran's axis of resistance has effectively collapsed. Indeed, Hamas has also signaled that it is more open to a deal as it continues to lose allies.
Pro-Palestine narrative
While there is, yet again, another flurry of reports that a cease-fire is near, the reality is that Israel is continuing its genocide in Gaza. In the north, the Israeli army has been in the process of ethnically cleansing Beit Lahiya. Moreover, the rest of the Strip continues to face dire humanitarian conditions that have been purposefully created by Israel.