Welcome back to This Week in Peace, our weekly roundup of global peacebuilding.
This brief weekend edition covers a significant deal to stop the fighting in Gaza and release some hostages held there, the collapse of peace talks between Ethiopia and Oromo rebels, and the slim chances for a peace deal in Yemen.
Israel-Palestine
This week, a long-awaited deal between Israel and Hamas resulted in a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza, and the release of some hostages. The deal is imperfect for both sides – Israel refused to extend the pause in fighting beyond four days, and Hamas refused to release more hostages, despite over a month of negotiations. The United States and Qatar played an important role in working with both sides, and this deal could be a foundation for a more lasting end to the fighting. The deal will bring a much-needed break in Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, where over 14,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, are estimated to have been killed since the start of the war. There is also hope that continued negotiations could lead to the release of more hostages, following the recent deal, which included a parallel release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. Many of those freed were Thai, Filippino, children, or the elderly, and aid deliveries into Gaza are increasing, with many more planned. Speaking on Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden was hopeful that a long-term ceasefire could be possible. With continued international mediation, an end to fighting could be within reach, as long as both sides are open to it.
Read our recent story on how the media has covered this conflict here, and check out our past stories on Israel and Palestine here.
Yemen
A ceasefire in Gaza would be a positive driver for peace in the broader Middle East, not just in Israel and the Palestinian territories. One clear example of this is Yemen, where negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthis continue. One major obstacle has been the frequent Houthi attacks on Israeli, and sometimes American, targets, especially in the Red Sea. The U.S., a close ally of Saudi Arabia, has been backing the peace talks, has objected to the Houthi hijacking of an Israeli-owned cargo ship this week. The Houthis have shot down a U.S. drones and threatened to hijack more Israeli ships in the Red Sea. An end to both conflicts is necessary to prevent further loss of life, and this situation provides a very real illustration of the potential dangers of further escalation of the conflict in Gaza. Peace is not just confined to one geographic area – a lasting peace in Gaza is necessary to prevent escalation across the entire region, especially given the number of actors with stakes in the conflict.
Read more of our past stories about Yemen here.
Ethiopia
In another setback for peace, talks between Ethiopia and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) came to an end without an agreement being reached. Past editions of This Week in Peace have extensively covered the threat of a second civil war in Ethiopia. The OLA is not a major threat, fighting a low-level insurgency confined to parts of the Oromia region. However, it still poses a threat to peace in Ethiopia’s most populous region, and puts a lasting peace for the country out of reach. Despite one-year anniversary of the end of the Tigray War, peace in Ethiopia seems unlikely, and further talks with the OLA and other armed groups are necessary to prevent another devastating civil war.
You can read our past coverage of Ethiopia here.
