DW: Mr. Zimmermann, the UN Security Council has come out in favor of a three-phase peace plan for Gaza. It initially calls for a cease-fire, during which an initial exchange of Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians would take place. This would be followed by a permanent cessation of fighting, with the release of all the remaining hostages, and finally a lasting peaceful solution with the reconstruction of Gaza. Is this resolution a breakthrough on the way to a settlement of the conflict?

Moshe Zimmermann: It is a step along the way. A breakthrough will be achieved if both sides agree, both Hamas and the Israeli government. The Israeli government is now celebrating [Shavuot]; then we will see whether it was a breakthrough or at least a step in the right direction.

What do you see as the biggest difficulties in implementing this plan?

The biggest difficulty is that both sides have very different goals. Hamas is trying to bring the war to an end — i.e., to break Israel's military superiority and Israel is trying to destroy Hamas. Israel will certainly not achieve its goals with this cease-fire, but Hamas will. And that is the difficulty at the moment.

Over eight months have passed since the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on October 7. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet achieved any of the war goals he set himself: Hamas has not been........

© Deutsche Welle