Middle East Analyst
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar
From what we understand, the major issues surrounding this agreement have largely been resolved, but it's now the details which are being discussed. An Israeli spokesman this morning talked of hundreds of little details which have to be sorted out, the sort of technical details that suggest that we have a deal in the offing. I think it should be said at this point that
Global News Podcast
Talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar
Until everything is agreed, nothing is agreed, so this could still go wrong, but certainly the mood is that this is the closest we've got to a ceasefire agreement of this nature since the war started 15 months ago.
Global News Podcast
Talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar
There's a lot riding on this and there are voices within Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet who don't want this to happen. They've been very clear in the last couple of days to right-wing ultra-nationalist members of the cabinet that they think it's in one case a catastrophe, another one talking about it being a surrender to Hamas. They would rather that the military effort continue in Gaza for a
Global News Podcast
Talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar
But I think the general mood is this is a country that feels like the war in Gaza has run its course, has probably gone on much too long and that the time is ready for some sort of agreement to bring hostages home. I think it should be pointed out that even this agreement, which is being discussed, it doesn't bring hostages. All of the remaining hostages home.
Global News Podcast
Talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar
They're talking about 33 hostages being part of the initial ceasefire. And we're not even sure that all of those 33 are alive. So, yes, this is the start, a sort of temporary ceasefire that's being talked about. The release of all the hostages, the permanent ceasefire, discussions about what the status of a government might be in Gaza in the future. That's all been kicked down the road.
Global News Podcast
Talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar
If we get a first agreement, then there will have to be further talks to try and resolve those even more difficult issues.