Link to article: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/negotiators-seek-finalise-gaza-ceasefire-deal-after-breakthrough-doha-2025-01-13/
Negotiators are set to meet on Tuesday in Doha to hopefully finalize a plan to end the war in Gaza which the outgoing U.S. President Biden had initiated that may be executed. If this ceasefire would be successful then it would cap many on an off talks between the two warring countries and would release Israeli hostages taken in the early days of the conflict. This deal would halt the fighting and free hostages, provide security to Israel and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza for the Palestinian people. In negotiations, Hamas has always insisted on a deal where Israel agrees on a complete withdrawal from Gaza, and the promise of no fighting in the future. Israel has stated that it will not end this war until Hamas has been completely destroyed.
If these negotiations were to be successful, and war was ended within Gaza, this would be groundbreaking for American negotiators and the outgoing U.S president Joe Biden. His career would end on a very high note. However, both sides within this conflict are playing hard and want exactly what their stipulations are for a future cease fire. Even though those negotiating feel on the brink of success, there is still a large chance of this falling apart and both parties involved may never come back to the table, and may seek to ultimately continue this war until on side has completely won.
Hamas is playing on its own turf and most likely wants the conflict to end soon as it is exhausting the population and the fighting force, so they may be more flexible with negotiations. However Israel is out for vengeance after this October 7th attack two years ago, and wants all hostages released as well as a complete destruction of Hamas in Palestine. Both sides do not necessarily want this fighting to continue, but will most likely continue it if the terms don’t suit their needs.
This interstate conflict and warfare has been detrimental to both sides. Israel and Hamas will likely want this ceasefire as the civilian population call for a halting of this war. Israels security policies have been viewed as aggressive by some other countries, and Israel is feeling pressure from the international community. Hamas has been endangering the Palestinian civilian population, which also bring scrutiny from other countries. Both sides are looking for an end to conflict, but on their terms.