Gaza: ceasefire in the offing?
Indirect negotiations between Israel and the radical Islamic organisation Hamas are currently underway in the Qatari capital, Doha. Together with international mediators, representatives of the two conflict parties are discussing a ceasefire and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages. US President Donald Trump, who is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, is pushing for a 60-day ceasefire.
Upgrade for Qatar
Avvenire takes stock:
“Against the backdrop of the [Israel-Iran] war, a new player has entered the game at the instigation of the US: Qatar. This move aims to place the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip within a regional context. The Gulf is to become a kind of security belt encircling the Jewish state. And above all a huge bazaar for billions in investments in high-tech and artificial intelligence. ... Doha has always sought to boost its clout in the region and undermine Saudi Arabia's role as Washington's privileged interlocutor.”
Once the guns fall silent
A ceasefire in Gaza would buy time to work out solutions, points out columnist Lluís Bassets in El País:
“The minimum is a 60-day ceasefire. That would give Netanyahu time to reach a solution with Saudi Arabia, which is demanding a Palestinian state in return for full diplomatic recognition [of Israel]. A photo of such an agreement in the White House would be the historical image that elevates Trump to the status of peacemaker. ... Once the guns are silent, the whole situation can be renegotiated amid the ruins. Even with Iran, if [Iranian ex-president] Hasan Rouhani's moderate ideas catch on. ... However, the collapse of Netanyahu's toxic government is also conceivable.”
Woo him with minerals and a Nobel Peace Prize
Público explains how to gain the US president's support for peace initiatives:
“Trump enforced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after a show of force, and he has just reached an historic agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Naturally, the abundant Congolese minerals are a key component of the deal. ... Promise him the Nobel Peace Prize and perhaps something good will happen! The king likes minerals, flattery and prizes.”