In light of the escalation of the current war between Israel and the Hamas terror group, mediation efforts have started to focus on cease-fire negotiations and a potential prisoner swap. Qatar, which has already mediated between the belligerents several times in the past — such as during the 2014 Israel-Gaza War — is back at the negotiating table, too. Last Saturday, Qatar also said Israel bore responsibility for the Hamas attack that killed some 1,300 Israelis, internationals and soldiers. Middle Eastern countries should lead the way in de-escalating the current war, she argues in a piece on the think tank's website. "It still is a powerful instrument but not as powerful as it used to be before social media," she told DW.

Source: CNN October 14, 2023 11:38 UTC