Israel and Hamas see Gaza ceasefire negotiations as an existential battle

By James M. Dorsey

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The Gaza ceasefire negotiations have all but broken down, with Israel and Hamas pursuing mutually exclusive goals.

At stake in the negotiations is more than just a ceasefire and a second Hamas-Israeli prisoner swap. Israel and Hamas both see the negotiations as key to whether there will be a post-war credible Israeli-Palestinian peace process and what it would entail.

Israel is determined to prevent a ceasefire from constituting a stepping stone for ending the conflict with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

To achieve its goal, Israel has refused to negotiate a permanent ceasefire, insisting that the war can only end with the destruction of Hamas, maintained that it must control Gaza’s post-war administration, and sought…