U.S. Institute of Peace

09/04/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/04/2024 08:16

Whither Cease-fire Talks After Hamas Kills 6 Israeli Hostages

Israeli soldiers' discovery of six of their country's hostages shot dead in a tunnel underneath Rafah, Gaza has placed the question of a cease-fire's prospects in stark relief. Coming as the U.S. had already stepped up efforts to push for an Israel-Hamas agreement, the grim fate of the hostages can simultaneously be viewed as providing a catalyst for the urgent conclusion of a deal, or as a harbinger of diplomatic derailment for a process the U.S., Egypt and Qatar had been in the throes of pushing to resolution.