Test of peace in the Middle East: Are Hamas and Israel approaching an agreement in negotiations?

Another serious diplomatic test is underway in the Middle East — the negotiations to stop the shooting in the Gaza Strip are at the center of international attention. According to Germany's Deutsche Welle, although Hamas demanded to change the latest draft agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this as an “unacceptable condition.” A number of major demands and guarantees have become the focus of discussions in the negotiation process.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that the next round of negotiations would be held in Qatar on July 6. The meeting will discuss the terms of the ceasefire and the release of Israeli citizens held captive by Hamas. Netanyahu also stated that on July 7, he would pay an official visit to Washington and would negotiate the ceasefire with US President Donald Trump there.

Hamas officials on July 4 announced their readiness for peace negotiations in the Gaza Strip. However, the group is demanding a number of guarantees from Israel, including a strict and official guarantee that after the remaining Israeli hostages are released, military actions will not be resumed. This has become one of the main problems in the negotiations.

Trump evaluated this process positively and stated that an agreement could be reached very soon. According to him, the White House is optimistically following the negotiations, although the situation is highly uncertain and changes daily. The AFP agency, referring to sources in the Palestinian delegation, reported that a new 60-day peace plan is currently being discussed at the negotiation table.

According to this plan, Hamas must release half of the remaining Israeli hostages — 22 people, and in response, Israel is expected to release several Palestinian prisoners. This proposal was formed with the participation of international mediators and may give new impetus to the process of reaching an agreement.

These negotiations in the Middle East could have historical significance in terms of regional stability, humanity, and security. However, the agreement has not yet been made official, and trust between the parties remains weak. The processes of the coming days are being closely watched by the world community. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!