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Trump Administration Explores Thorough Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal amidst Stalemate
the Trump administration is reportedly shifting its strategy in the Gaza conflict, moving away from incremental ceasefires towards a more comprehensive agreement aimed at securing the release of all hostages and ending the war. This potential pivot comes as previous attempts at partial deals have stalled, with a key figure in the administration expressing optimism about a breakthrough.
“We are very, very close too a solution around this war,” stated a representative, emphasizing a belief in the potential success of a new approach. “We think it is going to be triumphant and we have a plan around it.”
A Look Back: Donald Trump and his associate, Witkoff, played a notable role in brokering a ceasefire and hostage exchange in January, shortly before the presidential inauguration. This initial agreement facilitated the return of 33 hostages and was intended to pave the way for broader negotiations to conclude the conflict and secure the freedom of all remaining captives. However,the Trump administration’s subsequent actions allowed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deviate from the deal’s next phase by not engaging in serious negotiations. Consequently, Israel resumed hostilities unilaterally in March.
Shifting Priorities: As then, Prime Minister Netanyahu has favored a piecemeal approach to ceasefires and hostage releases, largely driven by domestic political considerations to avoid committing to a full cessation of hostilities. While Trump initially advocated for a comprehensive agreement, he ultimately endorsed Netanyahu’s incremental strategy during subsequent negotiation rounds, all of which proved unsuccessful.
Though, a recent meeting between hostage families and Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed a potential change in direction. Rubio indicated that both he and Trump still believe the incremental approach is flawed and suggested that exploring a more encompassing strategy to end the war and liberate all hostages might be timely.
Current Negotiations: Witkoff reportedly discussed the ongoing deadlock in Gaza ceasefire and hostage negotiations with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Thursday, according to an Israeli official. The official indicated that Netanyahu and Witkoff explored the possibility of transitioning from a partial Gaza deal to a comprehensive one.
“An understanding is being established between Israel and the U.S. that, in light of Hamas‘ rejectionist position, there is a need to shift from a framework for the release of some of the hostages to a framework for the release of all the hostages, the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli official stated.Caveats Remain: Despite these discussions, a senior Israeli official and two other sources involved in the negotiations cautioned that a definitive decision to alter the course has not yet been made. They stressed that the option of a partial deal, involving a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased hostages, remains on the table. “We are at a crossroads. Hamas is taking its time and not engaging, but this could change in the near future,” the official added.
Broader Implications: Witkoff informed hostage families on saturday that any resolution to the Gaza war would necessitate the demilitarization of Hamas. “Hamas has said it is indeed prepared to demilitarize. But even over and above that, multiple Arab governments are now demanding that Hamas demilitarizes,” he remarked, suggesting proximity to a resolution. Hamas, in response to Witkoff’s comments published in the Israeli press, reiterated its stance that it will not disarm prior to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Further Reading:
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Trump team rethinks Gaza strategy after six months of failure
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