The Takeaway: Israel and Hamas turn to Qatar for truce
Five takes on the Israel-Hamas deal and latest from Gaza; Arafat’s wife backs UAE-Israel peace deal; Curly hair makes a comeback in Egypt.
1. UN: “Gaza is on the verge of becoming unlivable”
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov welcomed the truce between Israel and Hamas on Aug. 31, which was brokered by Qatar and also involved UN and Egyptian mediation.
Israel and Hamas agreed to the deal following weeks of violence that began with Hamas sending incendiary balloons into Israeli towns close to Gaza’s border, starting more than 200 fires. Israel responded with more than 100 air and tank attacks and by closing the Gaza border. Despite the material damage and costs to an already beleaguered population, there were no casualties, as it seemed neither side wanted to escalate.
The reduction in tensions has allowed UN and relief agencies to return to focusing on Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, including “a collapsing health care system, high unemployment, and inadequate and unreliable power supplies.”
“Gaza has been reduced to a humanitarian whisper,” said Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.
