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Diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East are intensified

Politiko 2024-08-16 16:56:19

Diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East are

International diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from expanding in the Middle East intensified on Friday as British and French foreign ministers made a joint visit to Israel. Ceasefire talks in Qatar entered a second day.

The new attempt to reach an agreement comes as the death toll from the war reached 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities, concerns about a possible attack by Iran and Hezbollah on Israel continue in retaliation for the killings of senior Hamas and Hezollah leaders.

“It's a dangerous moment for the Middle East”, said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. “The risk of the situation getting out of control is increasing. Any Iranian attack would have devastating consequences for the region.”

Mr. Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné are expected to hold a joint meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

“ It's never too late for peace”, Mr. Séjourné said. "We must at all costs avoid a regional war, which would have dire consequences."

International mediators believe that the best hope for calming tensions would be an agreement between Israel and Hamas to stop fighting and ensure the release of Israeli hostages.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt began a new round of talks on Thursday and held talks with the Israeli delegation in Qatar. Hamas, which did not directly participate in Thursday's talks, it accuses Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had received US and international support and that Hamas had agreed to in principle. Israel, for its part, accuses Hamas of adding new demands.

White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby called the talks an important step. He said much work remains to be done given the complexity of the deal and that negotiators are focusing efforts on how it will be implemented.

Diplomats hope a ceasefire deal would persuade Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah to withdraw from aiming to avenge the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in an airstrike israel in Beirut and senior Hamas political leaders in an explosion in Tehran, which Israel is widely held responsible for./VOA

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