A ceasefire to end Israeli atrocities in Palestine is not still in sight though mediators said that discussions on a possible truce were serious, constructive and conducted in an amicable atmosphere.
In addition to ending the war, the ceasefire efforts mainly aim to bring relief to the people of Gaza and de-escalation of regional tensions which was exacerbated after the recent assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. This prompted Iran to think about retaliation against Israel. Earlier in January, Israel also killed another senior most Hamas leader Saleh Al-Arouri in Beirut.
This is why a regional escalation is feared amid concerns that Iran may launch an attack on Israel. But the United States has dispatched warships, submarines and warplanes to the Middle East to defend Israel and deter potential attackers with the hope that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a wider war.
Actually, the current Gaza ceasefire effort was a US-backed plan aimed at seeing a multiphased effort to end the war, starting with a six-week pause in fighting that would enable the release of some Israeli captives held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Details of the ceasefire deal presented by the US president Joe Biden in last May along with other mediators, Qatar and Egypt, have not yet been announced but mediators have put forward a 'bridging proposal' that may allow the quick implementation of a deal.
This is why Joe Biden has been optimistic saying that a Gaza ceasefire deal could be reached. But neither Hamas nor the Israeli government has been so upbeat about the ceasefire deal.
Hamas has already expressed its scepticism about the chances of a deal blaming Israel for making some changes in the proposed deal in regard with the demands about the free movement of people within Gaza in the event of a ceasefire and remaining Israeli military control in key areas of Gaza.
From Israeli side, the ceasefire efforts were appreciated. But doubt is cast on a possible deal as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu primarily insisted on total elimination of Hamas fighters. The Jewish state also said any ceasefire deal would require the release of the remaining hostages taken to Gaza by militants during the 7 October attack on Israel. Some of the 251 hostages have already been released, while others are thought to have died in Gaza.
Earlier, a deal agreed in November saw Hamas release 105 of the hostages in return for a week-long ceasefire and the freeing of some 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Israel claims 111 hostages are still being held, 39 of them are presumed dead.
While ceasefire talks have been in progress, Israel's military has continued its onslaught in Gaza that has already reduced much of the territory to rubble and killed more than 40,000 Palestinians including 17,000 Hamas fighters.
We urge the global leaders to keep on pressing both Hamas and Israel to agree to a ceasefire deal in order to save lives of innocent Palestinian civilians.
