Risk of regional war hangs over Gaza ceasefire talks

The sticking points facing negotiators are substantial. But proposals to bridge some of them have been widely reported in the Israeli media.

For instance, Mr Netanyahu’s insistence that Israeli forces must remain on Gaza’s border with Egypt, to stop armed groups smuggling in weapons, has been countered with solutions involving technology and the involvement of allies on the ground.

Hamas has accused Israel of bringing in new demands and said that the time for negotiation is over. It has said it is ready to implement the terms it agreed to last month. Israel denies it is adding new conditions, describing them as an attempt to clarify what was already agreed.

The deal’s international mediators – the US, Qatar and Egypt – certainly have some leverage over the two sides, but it may not be enough to force an agreement if the parties themselves don’t want one.

“The US and Qatar can push, they can cajole, they can offer inducements, they can offer to help create the technical solutions,” says Chuck Freilich. “But in the end, it’s up to the specific leaders.”

Ultimately, the fate of these talks, of Gaza, of the hostages – even the fate of the region itself – will rest on the calculations of two shrewd survivors; two warring men.