The State of Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations and Escalation in the Region

The latest reports indicate that rather than moving forward to the next phase of the deal, Prime Minister Netanyahu is seeking to extend Phase I, aiming to secure the release of more hostages while avoiding any commitment to end the war. The release of all remaining hostages and a lasting ceasefire look likely to be delayed – a devastating blow to Israeli families with loved ones still in captivity and Palestinians who, at best, have just begun picking up the pieces of their lives. As the fate of the agreement hangs in the balance, tensions on the eastern and northern fronts are also growing. Israel has sent tanks to the West Bank for the first time in 20 years, as part of operations that have escalated to levels unseen since the Second Intifada, and violence is escalating on Israel’s border with Lebanon and Syria. We’ll take a deep dive into considerations of the parties engaged in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, and look at the emergency Arab League summit in Egypt on March 4, the role that US mediators are playing, and how the regional developments impact the fate of negotiations.