Sebastian Usher

There are more and more issues about it, I think there's no doubt. And the substantial negotiations on it, discussions indirect between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, which were meant to start at the beginning of this month, the 3rd of February, haven't got underway yet. Now, there is hope and expectation that they will begin in the next two or three days.

There are more and more issues about it, I think there's no doubt. And the substantial negotiations on it, discussions indirect between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, which were meant to start at the beginning of this month, the 3rd of February, haven't got underway yet. Now, there is hope and expectation that they will begin in the next two or three days.

But President Trump, who is seen widely as instrumental in nailing down the ceasefire that has finally happened after so many months when it didn't, What he has been saying, not just this week, but bigger than anything, his plan, essentially, that the U.S. should take over Gaza, that all the Palestinians should be displaced, moved out, and that a resort should be built there.

But President Trump, who is seen widely as instrumental in nailing down the ceasefire that has finally happened after so many months when it didn't, What he has been saying, not just this week, but bigger than anything, his plan, essentially, that the U.S. should take over Gaza, that all the Palestinians should be displaced, moved out, and that a resort should be built there.

That's been roundly rejected very widely, particularly by Arab countries. And some of those countries, four of them, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE, are going to meet later this week to discuss results. What they say is an alternative plan that would be essentially allowing the Palestinians to remain while the rebuilding begins.

That's been roundly rejected very widely, particularly by Arab countries. And some of those countries, four of them, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE, are going to meet later this week to discuss results. What they say is an alternative plan that would be essentially allowing the Palestinians to remain while the rebuilding begins.

But we still have no idea what kind of governance would be acceptable to Israel, what role Hamas, who clearly still function from what we've seen each week so far, what role they can and will play. and whether the Israeli government, which has elements on the right who really want to get back to all-out war in Gaza, whether that can be controlled.

But we still have no idea what kind of governance would be acceptable to Israel, what role Hamas, who clearly still function from what we've seen each week so far, what role they can and will play. and whether the Israeli government, which has elements on the right who really want to get back to all-out war in Gaza, whether that can be controlled.

I think the absolute defining thing at the moment, though, is still that the feeling in Israel is that nothing should get them away of getting the remaining hostages out.

I think the absolute defining thing at the moment, though, is still that the feeling in Israel is that nothing should get them away of getting the remaining hostages out.

The bells of Altahera Church ring out across Mosul, a symbol of the rebirth of the old city that was left devastated eight years ago after the battle to drive ISIS out.

The bells of Altahera Church ring out across Mosul, a symbol of the rebirth of the old city that was left devastated eight years ago after the battle to drive ISIS out.

A Mosul photographer, Ali Al-Baroudi, recalls the horror that greeted him when he first entered the old city shortly after the street-by-street battle was over in 2017, with the gloriously skewed Al-Hadba minaret, known as the hunchback that had been emblematic of Mosul for hundreds of years, in ruins.

A Mosul photographer, Ali Al-Baroudi, recalls the horror that greeted him when he first entered the old city shortly after the street-by-street battle was over in 2017, with the gloriously skewed Al-Hadba minaret, known as the hunchback that had been emblematic of Mosul for hundreds of years, in ruins.

80% of the old city of Mosul and the West Bank of the Tigris was destroyed. It was not just the churches, mosques and old houses that needed to be repaired, but the community spirit of those who'd lived there for so long in relative harmony between religions and ethnicities.

80% of the old city of Mosul and the West Bank of the Tigris was destroyed. It was not just the churches, mosques and old houses that needed to be repaired, but the community spirit of those who'd lived there for so long in relative harmony between religions and ethnicities.

A year later, the huge task of rebuilding began under the auspices of UNESCO, with a budget of $115 million that the UN Cultural Agency had managed to drum up, much of it from the UAE and the European Union.

A year later, the huge task of rebuilding began under the auspices of UNESCO, with a budget of $115 million that the UN Cultural Agency had managed to drum up, much of it from the UAE and the European Union.

Father Olivier Poquillon, a Dominican priest, returned to Mosul to help oversee the restoration of the convent of Notre-Dame-de-L'Heure, known locally as Alsace, which was founded nearly 200 years ago.

Father Olivier Poquillon, a Dominican priest, returned to Mosul to help oversee the restoration of the convent of Notre-Dame-de-L'Heure, known locally as Alsace, which was founded nearly 200 years ago.