Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
A renewed effort by mediators the US, Qatar and Egypt to broker a Gaza ceasefire is stalling over stringent Israeli conditions and Hamas's reluctance to risk weakening its bargaining power by releasing too many hostages too quickly, sources told The National on Sunday.
They spoke following a flurry of diplomatic activity in the Middle East by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and White House senior adviser Brett McGurk. Of the three, Mr McGurk remains in the region to try to bridge the gap between Hamas and Israel.
The intensified effort by the US, Egypt and Qatar comes as President Joe Biden's time in the White House is drawing to a close, with president-elect Donald Trump taking office next month. Mr Trump has spoken of “hell to pay” if the hostages held by Hamas are not freed before his inauguration.
Mr Sullivan has, over the weekend, expressed cautious optimism that conditions were ripe for halting the 14-month-old Gaza war before the Biden administration's end on January 20.
“I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t think this thing was just waiting until after January 20,” said Mr Sullivan, who returned to Washington on Saturday.
The US, Qatar and Egypt have for a year now been trying to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza along with a swap of Israeli and other hostages held by Hamas for Palestinians detained in Israel on security-related charges. The only truce they successfully brokered lasted one week in November 2023 and led to the release by Hamas of about 100 hostages.
The sources said Israel was insisting now that Hamas releases many more hostages than the group is offering during the initial truce provided for in the latest proposals. It also wants them to include US citizens and female soldiers. Hamas, according to the sources, is prepared to free about a dozen, with their release staggered at the rate of one every 48 hours to ensure Israel is honouring its end of the deal.
Another new condition set by Israel is that it wants all Palestinians freed from its prisons under the deal to leave Palestinian territories and live in exile abroad, they said. It has also attached a new condition to its offer of safe passage from Gaza and into exile of Hamas leaders, field commanders and their families. Israel, said the sources, now wants to retain the final say on who qualifies to benefit from the offer, which Hamas has previously rejected.
The proposals currently under discussion provide for a brief truce during which a limited exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners would take place along with the dispatch of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, where the war has killed nearly 45,000 and injured twice that number, according to Gaza government figures.
They also provide for a gradual withdrawal from a narrow strip of land that runs the length of Egypt's border with Gaza on the Palestinian side, including the Rafah crossing, the territory's only gate to the outside world that is not controlled by Israel.
Israel captured the area in May, drawing an angry response from Egypt, which insists that the move broke the two countries' 1979 peace treaty and subsequent accords. Egypt also closed its side of the Rafah border to protest against Israel's move, significantly reducing the amount of relief aid sent to Gaza.
The sources said Egypt was currently trying to persuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to issue a decree creating an independent committee of non-partisan technocrats to run the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, but its pleas were falling on deaf ears.
Egypt this month brokered an agreement in principle between Hamas and Fatah, the dominant faction in Mr Abbas' Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, to create the committee, but a senior Hamas leader later rejected the deal, saying the proposed committee would enshrine divisions among Palestinians.
Israel itself has been ambivalent about the creation of the committee while insisting on retaining the right to send its military back to the area after its withdrawal to deal with possible threats to its security, said the sources.
Israel argues that the Egypt border must be closely monitored to halt the supply of weapons and dual use material to Hamas through underground tunnels. Egypt denies the existence of such tunnels, insisting it destroyed them about 10 years ago.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
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Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THREE
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
