Arab governments emphasized this week that a main cause of instability in the region — the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict — must be resolved.

The families of hostages held in Gaza have faced a 20-month-long nightmare. As they try to advocate for their loved ones’ fates, they have been confronted with the whims of Israeli and Hamas leaders and the other crises that have engulfed the Middle East.

While significant gaps remain between Israel and Hamas, Arab officials mediating the talks say both sides have shown an interest in getting a deal done.