Israel-Hamas negotiations: Will there be peace or will the war continue?

A high-level delegation from the Hamas movement is in Cairo discussing ways to end the armed conflict, which has lasted for 18 months, through Egyptian mediation. An official representative of the group emphasized that during these negotiations, new proposals for a ceasefire are being considered, but the issue of disarmament is not on the table. However, disarmament remains one of Israel's key demands.

Speaking anonymously to AFP news agency, a Hamas representative stated that the group "is ready to exchange prisoners simultaneously and enter into a five-year long-term peace truce."

New ceasefire initiatives emerged after Hamas rejected Israel's proposal for a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 hostages. Hamas described this offer as "incomplete and insufficient" and instead proposed a broader and more stable agreement.

Currently, mediators from Egypt and Qatar have presented a plan involving the release of all hostages and the conclusion of a five-year ceasefire agreement. However, unresolved issues remain, such as Hamas's disarmament and the post-war fate of Gaza.

Hamas consistently demands the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, as well as expanded deliveries of food and medical supplies to improve the humanitarian situation in the region. Israel, for its part, refuses to accept any terms other than the full release of all hostages taken during the October 2023 attack and the complete disarmament of Hamas.

In March, Israel resumed military operations against Gaza. Previously, in January, the first phase of a peace process had been implemented, temporarily establishing relative calm in the region. The Israeli military hopes that the resumption of hostilities will pressure Hamas into releasing all remaining hostages.

According to recent data, since mid-March, 2,111 Palestinians have been killed in clashes in Gaza. The total number of casualties from the war in Gaza has reached 51,495 people.

It should be recalled that on October 7, 2023, Hamas members took 251 people hostage on Israeli territory. Currently, 58 of them are still being held in Gaza. According to the Israeli military, 34 of the remaining hostages may have died.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is intensifying. Recent strikes have resulted in additional casualties. In Gaza City, a strike on a residential building killed 10 people, with more than 20 others trapped beneath the rubble. Another three civilians were killed following an airstrike on the Ash-Shati refugee camp.

Another threat facing Gaza residents is the lack of food and medicine. The UN World Food Programme has warned that it has delivered the last food supplies to Gaza's kitchens, and food will completely run out in the coming days. The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also stated that medical supplies and medications in Gaza are running out. He urged the immediate lifting of the blockade to allow humanitarian aid into the region.

However, Israel rejects these claims, insisting there is no famine in Gaza. The Israeli side asserts that stopping aid deliveries is aimed at pressuring Hamas to release the hostages.

Negotiations are ongoing, but key demands from both sides remain unresolved. This greatly complicates the possibility of achieving peace. Israeli officials have so far refrained from commenting on Hamas's new proposals.

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