Can Hamas and Israel Reach Deal?

How realistic is a ceasefire deal at this stage? Professor of Conflict Resolution Dr. Ayman Youssef shares his thoughts.

Transcript

00:00Netanyahu is now publicly backing a 60-day truce that is tied directly to the disarmament of Hamas.

00:08How realistic, though, is a ceasefire deal at this stage?

00:11And what's the likelihood that both sides can actually agree before that window closes?

00:16Yes, thanks for having me in this show.

00:19I think both parties, Hamas and Israel, are negotiating on the basis of win-lose situation

00:29or win-lose, you know, game.

00:32We have two possibilities or two scenarios.

00:34One of them, really, to reach a political deal, you know, in the coming days.

00:41And this political deal is being, you know, negotiated in Doha.

00:48Both parties, Israel and Hamas, are trying to improve the condition of negotiation

00:53in order to reach the best deal, in order to sell that to the, you know,

00:58Palestinian public opinion, as well as to the Israeli public opinion.

01:01But, you know, my concern at this stage, Netanyahu is speaking in terms of full defeat

01:09and full surrender to Hamas.

01:11And Hamas, on the other hand, still believing, you know,

01:15they have some winning cards in there and some bargaining chips in their hands

01:19to further negotiate a good deal.

01:22So, we have the two possibilities, you know, either reaching a political deal

01:26or further military deterioration of situation in Gaza.