As the conflict in Gaza neared its fifth month, the wanton death and destruction wreaked upon its Palestinian residents spurred major peace initiatives that brought together intelligence officials from the U.S. and Israel engaging with counterparts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, and the Prime Minister of Qatar. To push the process forward, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also embarked on his fifth visit to the region mainly to convey to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the need to accept a ceasefire and allow increased humanitarian assistance to reach the beleaguered people in Gaza.
Peace negotiations
A peace plan emerged in Paris at the end of January following talks among the intelligence chiefs and the Qatari Prime Minister. It called for a two-month cease fire when the remaining hostages held by Hamas would be released in return for a several Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Hamas fine-tuned this proposal by calling for a 135-day truce when the release of hostages would take place in three stages, along with an increased flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. This would be followed by a full cease fire and the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza.
