Gaza war: Two years after Hamas attack, talks raise hopes
The Tribune Editorial: However, a contentious point — disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance in Gaza — might impact the outcome of the talks.
THE start of US-brokered talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh has raised hopes worldwide that the two-year-old Gaza war will finally come to a halt. The war was triggered by the stunning attacks carried out by Hamas-led militants on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage in what was described as the bloodiest day for Jews since the Holocaust. The no-holds-barred Israeli retaliation has snuffed out the lives of over 67,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, even as the majority of the 2.2 million Gazans have been left homeless and hungry. Senior independent investigators appointed by the UN Human Rights Council concluded recently that Israel's actions in Gaza constituted genocide.
