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Aqaba Summit Calls for Gaza Ceasefire, Two-State Solution

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)
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Aqaba Summit Calls for Gaza Ceasefire, Two-State Solution

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)

Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed the need to increase pressure to halt the Israeli aggression in Gaza, and protect civilians. They also reiterated their commitment to a two-state solution for the Palestinian issue.

This came during their summit in Aqaba to discuss the critical situation in Gaza, during which they also emphasized their opposition to any plans to displace Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

They further rejected any Israeli plans to separate Gaza from the West Bank, adding the two entities were the basis of a future Palestinian state.

The three leaders confirmed "a complete rejection of any attempt to reoccupy parts of Gaza, and the need to enable its people to return to their homes."

The summit reiterated the importance of ensuring the permanent and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, alleviating the tragic humanitarian situation in the region.

Moreover, the leaders drew attention to hostile actions by extremist settlers in the West Bank against the Palestinian people, and violations of Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem, which could lead to the situation in the West Bank spiraling out of control, and regional escalation.

They agreed to continue working collectively, coordinating with Arab and influential countries, to find a political horizon for the Palestinian issue, achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, which would restore all legitimate rights to the Palestinian people, ensuring the establishment of their independent, sovereign state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Jordan’s King warned against any escalation that could widen the circle of war and complicate efforts to reach a ceasefire, highlighting the seriousness of the situation requiring an exceptional effort to determine the steps in the upcoming phase.

Before the tripartite summit, King Abdullah held separate meetings with the Egyptian and Palestinian presidents to discuss efforts aimed at an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

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Lebanon’s Rocky Terrain Makes Tunnel Digging Easy for Hezbollah

Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)
Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)
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Lebanon’s Rocky Terrain Makes Tunnel Digging Easy for Hezbollah

Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)
Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)

Hezbollah is using Lebanon’s rocky landscape to dig tunnels in mountains and valleys, aiming to hide from Israeli airstrikes and launch attacks from what are considered safe areas.

Due to limited details on how these tunnels are built or their specific purposes, experts believe Hezbollah uses this method as an alternative to open combat under Israeli aircraft.

Retired Brig. Gen. Fadi Daoud told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hezbollah’s tunnel strategy forces Israel into difficult underground warfare, a challenging type of combat in military terms.

Daoud explained that tunnel networks “take away key advantages from the enemy.”

“Even though the Israeli military has a powerful air force for reconnaissance and airstrikes, tunnels prevent them from seeing targets. This has reduced the effectiveness of the air force and limits its ability to maneuver,” said Daoud.

He also noted that the Israeli military is prepared for tunnel warfare, with weapons like the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, sponge bombs, and Bunker Buster bombs, which can destroy tunnels up to 60 meters deep. However, using these weapons depends on the situation.

Regarding Hezbollah’s tunnel network, Daoud mentioned that while there isn’t exact information, it is believed that the area from the border to seven kilometers inside Lebanon is likely covered by an underground tunnel system.

This is why Israel wants Hezbollah pushed beyond the Litani River, as it thinks there are no tunnels beyond that point. However, Daoud emphasized that these are only estimates, and no one has confirmed information.

Israeli studies suggest that Hezbollah has built a complex underground tunnel network in Lebanon, stretching for several kilometers.

These reports highlight how Hezbollah benefits from Lebanon’s natural landscape, which makes tunneling easier. Modern tunneling equipment is expensive and not widely available, even to the Lebanese government, with some tunnels taking years to complete.

Dr. Tony Nemer, a geology and seismology expert at the American University of Beirut, explained that Lebanon's rocks are mainly limestone.

When exposed to water containing carbon dioxide, the rocks form carbonic acid, which can hollow out the limestone. This natural process has led to the formation of many caves in Lebanon.

Nemer pointed out that the karstic nature of these rocks makes digging tunnels easier.

He noted that while most of Lebanon’s rocks are limestone, there are also some sandy and volcanic rocks, but these make up only 15%-20% of the country’s terrain.