White House: No Progress in Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations
Continued discussions between concerned parties without tangible progress indicates complications beyond prisoner exchange and ceasefire issues
December 1, 2024, 8:56 pm

White House: No Progress in Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations

البيت الأبيض

The White House denied achieving any breakthrough in Gaza ceasefire efforts, despite ongoing American efforts for months. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated during an interview with NBC News today, Sunday, "We are actively working" on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but we haven't reached that yet".

He explained that consultations and talks will continue, hoping to reach understandings regarding prisoner exchange and ending the war. He highlighted Washington's intensive engagement with key parties in the region, pointing to ongoing daily efforts to achieve a truce.

A Hamas official revealed yesterday, Saturday, that the movement's delegation, headed by Khalil Al-Hayya, "held several meetings with Egyptian General Intelligence Chief Major General Hassan Rashad and officials handling mediation with Israel to discuss new ideas for developing a proposal to end the war."

He reviewed the movement's readiness "to discuss all proposals that lead to stopping military operations, withdrawing Israeli forces from the Strip, returning displaced persons, bringing in humanitarian and relief aid, in addition to a serious prisoner exchange deal."

These developments coincided with American leaks indicating President-elect Donald Trump's preference to achieve an agreement on Gaza before assuming his duties on January 20.

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been sponsoring multiple negotiations for months to conclude a deal ending the conflict in the Palestinian territory and ensuring the release of Israeli detainees in Gaza since last October 7.

Talks have stalled without tangible results, especially with the Israeli side refusing to withdraw its forces from Gaza, which has hindered reaching a settlement even after Hamas agreed to a draft ceasefire proposal revealed by U.S. President Joe Biden last May.

Levant-Agencies

Russian Airstrikes Support Regime's Attempts to Recapture Hama Abbas Araghchi from Damascus: Confident in Government's Ability to Emerge Victorious

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”