TEHRAN- A new round of negotiations held in the Qatari capital aimed at halting Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip has been thrust into the limelight as the death toll from regime’s onslaught in the besieged Palestinian territory passed the grim milestone of 40,000.

Senior American, Egyptian and Qatari officials held talks with an Israeli delegation in Doha on Thursday and Friday. 

It has been reported that CIA director William Burns, White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel attended the talks. 

They met with the Israeli delegation which included Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and the Israeli military’s captive chief, Nitzan Alon. 

Israelis have launched a smear campaign against Hamas which did not join the negotiations. The resistance movement wanted mediators to discuss a ceasefire plan based upon earlier negotiations rather than starting fresh talks. However, mediators relayed messages to Hamas officials based in Doha. 

Israel’s excessive demands 

Israel stands accused of adding new demands to a previous ceasefire plan presented by the US president on May 31. 

On June 10, the United Nations Security Council approved a US resolution backing Joe Biden’s three-phased ceasefire plan to which Hamas agreed in principle. 

The first phase of the Biden proposal would include a "full and complete ceasefire" lasting six weeks, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all populated areas of Gaza, and the exchange of some of the captives held in the enclave in exchange for the release of Palestinian inmates from Israeli jails. 

The second phase would involve the release of all remaining captives and a "permanent end to hostilities". The third would see the start of a major reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip which has been devastated during the Israeli onslaught that was launched on October 7 last year.
 
Nonetheless, Israel now wants control of the land along Gaza’s border with Egypt and the return of displaced Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza. 

A senior Hamas official told the BBC on Wednesday that Israel has “added new conditions and reneged on its previous agreement”, including demanding that it maintain full control over the Philadelphi corridor and that displaced people returning to northern Gaza be screened to ensure they are unarmed civilians.

Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan also told the Associated Press that the resistance movement is only interested in discussing the implementation of Biden’s proposal and not in further talks over its content.

Hamdan also told Al Jazeera on Friday that the movement has not seen any positive signals in the Doha talks. 

He accused Israel of undermining the negotiations. 

“Mediators are still talking about bridging the gaps, but it is clear that the Israeli side is adding more conditions, talking about new issues. I believe they are trying to undermine the process,” the Hamas official said. 

Hamdan pushed back on the prospect of Israel maintaining security control over the Philadelphi Corridor.

He stressed that the resistance movement wants Israel’s “complete withdrawal” from the Gaza Strip. 

Netanyahu denies that Israel has made new demands but insists that the Israeli military retain indefinite control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

In fact, the Israeli premier is calling for additions to the Biden ceasefire plan that was supported by the international community. In this way, he tries to justify his exorbitant demands. 

Domestic rifts 

Netanyahu has also reiterated that he remains committed to “total victory” against Hamas and the release of all captives. 

Speaking during a closed-door hearing before a Knesset committee on Monday, Israeli war minister Yoav Gallant dismissed Netanyahu’s “total victory” slogan as “nonsense” and “gibberish”.  

Gallant also said Netanyahu’s “total victory” goal amounts to a “beating of war drums” not backed up by actions.

More than 1,100 people were killed and about 250 others taken captive when Hamas carried out the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, a surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7, which was followed by the regime’s brutal war on Gaza.  

Over 100 Israeli and foreign captives were released following a swap deal between Israel and Hamas in November last year. 

Israel says 111 hostages are still being held in Gaza, 39 of whom are presumed dead. Most of them have lost their lives during Israeli strikes in Gaza. 

The families of the remaining Israeli captives said the Doha talks were the last chance to secure the release of the captives.  Over the past months, Israelis have staged protests calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of captives, Netanyahu’s resignation and early elections. 

US looks the other way

The United States is well aware that Israel’s demands in the Doha talks are against its own resolution endorsed by the UN Security Council. Nonetheless, the White House tried to look the other way. 

“It’s their proposal, and it requires compromise on both sides,” U.S. national security spokesman John Kirby said on MSNBC on Thursday. 

He added, “Not just one side, but both sides have got to show some leadership here and be willing to nail down these final details. These gaps can be narrowed.”

Doha talks statement 

The United States, Qatar and Egypt issued a statement on Friday saying the Doha talks were “serious, constructive, and conducted in a positive atmosphere”. 

The statement said a proposal has been presented to Israel and Hamas that “narrows the gaps between the parties and is consistent with the principles set out by President Biden on May 31, 2024, and Security Council Resolution 2735.”

According to the statement, officials from the three countries will meet again in Egypt before the end of next week to reach an agreement on the terms set out in Qatar.

US ulterior motives 

Talks over a ceasefire in Gaza were suspended after Israel assassinated Hamas political leader and chief negotiator, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran on July 31. He had traveled to the Iranian capital to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian. 

A day earlier, Israel also killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. 

Iran and Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate against Israel which has spread panic among Israelis over the past two weeks. 

Washington hopes a likely ceasefire in Gaza would persuade Iran and Hezbollah to hold off on retaliating for the regime’s assassinations and consequently stop the 10-month conflict spiraling into an all-out regional war. 

However, Iran has promised a more severe response than the operation it carried out against Israel four months ago to punish the regime. 

On April 13, Iran launched a salvo of more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel. The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) dubbed the operation “True Promise”. 

It came after several Iranian military advisors including a top commander were assassinated in the wake of an Israeli strike against Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1st. 

Desperate gamble

The Iranian military operation showed that Israel is unable to defend itself without the support of the US and its Western and regional allies. 

Netanyahu, however, hopes that a new direct Iranian attack on Israel would trigger a war between Tehran and Washington. But he is taking a gamble. 

Anti-US sentiment has been on the rise in West Asia over Washington’s support for Israel’s war against Gaza. Hence, the White House knows that it would have to pay a heavy price in case of a potential involvement in direct military confrontation with the Islamic Republic. 

By Shahrokh Saei