Emily Fang

Aoun is also the commander of Lebanon's military, which by convention, like the president's office, should be held by a Maronite Christian. And he had to bypass constitutional restrictions that forbid him from running for president while holding another office.

But he commands support from a coalition of Lebanon's diverse sectarian groups, and he will be crucial to implementing a ceasefire with Israel. Emily Fang, NPR News, Beirut.

But he commands support from a coalition of Lebanon's diverse sectarian groups, and he will be crucial to implementing a ceasefire with Israel. Emily Fang, NPR News, Beirut.

The biggest roadblock is disagreement over how long this ceasefire could be. Hamas wants a permanent one. Israel has been insisting on a temporary truce first. And a Hamas official familiar with the negotiations told NPR late last week they just didn't see this as a real ceasefire proposal. There's also disagreement over even how many Israeli hostages, dead or alive, Hamas would release.

The biggest roadblock is disagreement over how long this ceasefire could be. Hamas wants a permanent one. Israel has been insisting on a temporary truce first. And a Hamas official familiar with the negotiations told NPR late last week they just didn't see this as a real ceasefire proposal. There's also disagreement over even how many Israeli hostages, dead or alive, Hamas would release.

The biggest roadblock is disagreement over how long this ceasefire could be. Hamas wants a permanent one. Israel has been insisting on a temporary truce first. And a Hamas official familiar with the negotiations told NPR late last week they just didn't see this as a real ceasefire proposal. There's also disagreement over even how many Israeli hostages, dead or alive, Hamas would release.

And then again, which Palestinian prisoners and detainees Israel would release. And also exactly where Israeli troops would withdraw from after that. The concern among Hamas is once they hand over Israeli hostages, Israel would just go back to war. And so this lack of trust on both sides is further hamstringing negotiations. I spoke with Jamal Zahaka.

And then again, which Palestinian prisoners and detainees Israel would release. And also exactly where Israeli troops would withdraw from after that. The concern among Hamas is once they hand over Israeli hostages, Israel would just go back to war. And so this lack of trust on both sides is further hamstringing negotiations. I spoke with Jamal Zahaka.

And then again, which Palestinian prisoners and detainees Israel would release. And also exactly where Israeli troops would withdraw from after that. The concern among Hamas is once they hand over Israeli hostages, Israel would just go back to war. And so this lack of trust on both sides is further hamstringing negotiations. I spoke with Jamal Zahaka.

He's a former member of Israel's parliament, and he used to work really closely with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. And Zahaka told me he thinks the prime minister is now in no rush for a ceasefire, especially before a new U.S. administration takes over.

He's a former member of Israel's parliament, and he used to work really closely with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. And Zahaka told me he thinks the prime minister is now in no rush for a ceasefire, especially before a new U.S. administration takes over.

He's a former member of Israel's parliament, and he used to work really closely with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. And Zahaka told me he thinks the prime minister is now in no rush for a ceasefire, especially before a new U.S. administration takes over.

Or put pressure on him to make a deal. And Zahaka says Netanyahu believes he can get more concessions if he waits for Trump to become president again because he sees Trump as a closer political ally than Biden.

Or put pressure on him to make a deal. And Zahaka says Netanyahu believes he can get more concessions if he waits for Trump to become president again because he sees Trump as a closer political ally than Biden.

Or put pressure on him to make a deal. And Zahaka says Netanyahu believes he can get more concessions if he waits for Trump to become president again because he sees Trump as a closer political ally than Biden.

Right. Israel's stated goal in Gaza was to topple Hamas. And Hamas has been greatly crippled, but not totally destroyed. And now the big question is, who takes Hamas's place? Israel has never stated a plan for the day after war. The United Nations just said last month that 95% of schools in Gaza have been destroyed. The economy is gone. It's going to be a huge job to rebuild Gaza.

Right. Israel's stated goal in Gaza was to topple Hamas. And Hamas has been greatly crippled, but not totally destroyed. And now the big question is, who takes Hamas's place? Israel has never stated a plan for the day after war. The United Nations just said last month that 95% of schools in Gaza have been destroyed. The economy is gone. It's going to be a huge job to rebuild Gaza.

Right. Israel's stated goal in Gaza was to topple Hamas. And Hamas has been greatly crippled, but not totally destroyed. And now the big question is, who takes Hamas's place? Israel has never stated a plan for the day after war. The United Nations just said last month that 95% of schools in Gaza have been destroyed. The economy is gone. It's going to be a huge job to rebuild Gaza.

So there's another Palestinian group, the Palestinian Authority, or PA. It's a rival to Hamas. They want to govern Gaza. They already govern parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and they actually used to govern Gaza until they lost out to Hamas. So there's that. And then within Israel, there's another debate going on on whether maybe Israel should physically occupy and rule Gaza again.

So there's another Palestinian group, the Palestinian Authority, or PA. It's a rival to Hamas. They want to govern Gaza. They already govern parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and they actually used to govern Gaza until they lost out to Hamas. So there's that. And then within Israel, there's another debate going on on whether maybe Israel should physically occupy and rule Gaza again.