What will it take for Israel and Hamas to lay down arms?

What will it take for Israel and Hamas to lay down arms?

Eight months into the war in Gaza, as two million people there struggle for survival and more than 36,600 have lost their lives, the fate of Israel and Hamas themselves also hangs in the balance.

Israel has said it will not stop the war until it eradicates Hamas, but it is also struggling internally as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fights for power – and what his army can realistically achieve on the ground as pressure mounts for him to stick to the rules of military combat and international humanitarian law.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden outlined a ceasefire plan to move from a limited exchange of hostages for detainees to broader discussions about a permanent end to the war. The plan includes ending hostilities, releasing hostages and reconstructing Gaza in the long term.

Mr Biden has acknowledged this transition will be challenging, as a point of contention is that Mr Netanyahu wants the hostages released first before a ceasefire begins and Hamas wants the opposite.

In this week’s Beyond The Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks into the dynamics that influence the prospects of ending the war, why previous attempts at negotiation have failed and how much internal and external pressures can influence Israel.

Episoder(490)

Will Middle East tension ease as a result of Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf?

Will Middle East tension ease as a result of Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf?

US President Donald Trump has returned to Washington after sealing hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of investments on his first visit to the Gulf since returning to office. His stops in Riyadh, ...

16 Mai 202521min

What’s at risk under Israel’s planned Gaza offensive?

What’s at risk under Israel’s planned Gaza offensive?

Israel’s security cabinet has approved an expanded military offensive in Gaza that would push the entire population into a small pocket in the south of the strip. Shortly after the decision, Israeli P...

9 Mai 202522min

Trump’s first 100 days: What ‘America first’ means for the Middle East

Trump’s first 100 days: What ‘America first’ means for the Middle East

During the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s administration, he has signed more executive orders than any other president in the same time span. They are part of his mandate to put "America first". But...

2 Mai 202522min

Why Christians in occupied Palestine may be at risk of disappearing

Why Christians in occupied Palestine may be at risk of disappearing

In his last public address on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis called for an end to the violence in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation there "dramatic and deplorable”. His message came only a day bef...

25 Apr 202521min

Why legal action against alleged Israeli war crimes is so slow

Why legal action against alleged Israeli war crimes is so slow

When the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last year accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant of crimes against humanity, it seemed...

18 Apr 202529min

Lebanon’s civil war: The feud that never ended

Lebanon’s civil war: The feud that never ended

The Lebanese civil war that broke out in 1975 marked a dark chapter in the country’s history and would have an impact on the region for decades afterwards. The conflict lasted for 15 years, as armed m...

11 Apr 202538min

Deal or war: What’s next for Iran’s nuclear programme?

Deal or war: What’s next for Iran’s nuclear programme?

Simmering threats between Iran and the US are nearing their boiling point, after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this week that Tehran would retaliate if attacked. The heated tone co...

4 Apr 202520min

Where is Israel's renewed war on Gaza heading?

Where is Israel's renewed war on Gaza heading?

Hundreds of people have taken part in protests in Gaza this week, in a rare act of dissent towards Hamas. Demonstrators called for an end to the group's rule of the enclave and the war with Israel. In...

28 Mar 202523min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
popradet
stopp-verden
det-store-bildet
fotballpodden-2
nokon-ma-ga
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-gukild-johaug
hanna-de-heldige
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-ness
aftenbla-bla
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-utenrikskomiteen-med-bogen-og-grasvik
chit-chat-med-helle
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
e24-podden