Middle East on the Brink: Ceasefire or Regional War

Ten months into the Israel-Gaza war, the Middle East stands on the precipice of a regional conflict. Following Israel's assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in Tehran and Beirut, the Islamic Republic of Iran and its regional network of allies and proxy groups have vowed to retaliate, which likely leads to further escalations with a real possibility of a wider regional war. Amid these tensions, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt are facilitating another round of negotiations in Doha and Cairo, aiming to secure a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, hoping not only to stop the war in Gaza and improve the dire humanitarian conditions but also to deescalate regional tensions.

Featuring prominent regional experts, this panel discussion will examine the latest developments in the ceasefire negotiations, the implications of a wider regional conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah, and the possibility of finding a diplomatic path towards de-escalation.

👥 Panelists:
• Nawaf Al-Thani: Former Qatari Defense Attaché to the U.S. and Canada; Member, Board Of Directors, Gulf International Forum
• Hamidreza Azizi: Visiting Fellow, German Institute for International & Security Affairs; Nonresident Fellow, Middle East Council on Global Affairs
• Randa Slim: Director, Conflict Resolution & Track II Dialogues, Middle East Institute; Nonresident Fellow, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced and International Studies Foreign Policy Institute
• Raz Zimmt: Senior Researcher, Institute for National Security Studies; Research Fellow, Alliance Center for Iranian Studies, Tel Aviv University

🎙️ Moderator:
• Bijan Ahmadi: Executive Director, Institute for Peace & Diplomacy

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