As Polio Vaccines Arrive in Gaza, Distributing Them Is the Next Challenge
New York TimesAug 19
White House Denies Reports Gaza Cease-fire Talks on Verge of Collapse
Above: Israeli soldiers in a tank as it drives along the border with the Gaza Strip on Aug. 7, 2024 in Southern Israel, Israel. Image copyright: Amir Levy/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby denied reports on Friday that Gaza cease-fire negotiations were on the verge of collapse, saying that progress was made in Cairo on Thursday. Kirby did not, however, indicate that a deal was imminent.
The most recent round of talks reportedly focused on the Gaza-Egypt border — often referred to as the Philadelphi Corridor. Egypt and Hamas want Israel to withdraw from the corridor, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued that Israeli forces must remain there to prevent the flow of weapons.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
With the clock ticking, the US and its allies are confident that after some tough negotiating, a deal between Israel and Hamas can be reached. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, the release of Israeli hostages, and create a better "day after" in Gaza without Hamas in power. The US will continue to work toward closing the gaps and ensuring that peace and stability can be restored to the region.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though Israel will do what it must to free those taken hostage in Gaza, it cannot rush into a deal that creates a lifeline for Hamas. Israel faces an entire network of Iranian-back terror and must act wisely to gain as much as it can in negotiations with Hamas while avoiding a full-scale regional escalation.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel's aggressive posture only demonstrates that it is a rogue state that would rather light the region on fire than stop its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Netanyahu continues to engage in provocative acts because he has failed to achieve his political and military objectives. While Netanyahu extends the war to ensure his political survival, the US continues to support Israel with a blank check and obfuscate its role in the carnage.