In a surprising turn of events, Israeli officials have reported that their ongoing attempts to negotiate peace with Hamas have devolved into what can only be described as "the world's least funny prank call." While the world watches in quiet dismay, it seems that a mutual understanding was replaced with a mutual misunderstanding—and not the amusing kind that leads to viral TikToks. At the heart of this tragicomic saga is a conference call that was intended to pave the way for peace talks. Instead, it ended with one side asking what the other's favorite type of sandwich was and the other side responding with an elaborate riddle about a goat and three doors. Israeli officials had prepared serious talking points, only to have Hamas representatives insist they were “totally down for a game of charades” instead. As the call progressed, sources reveal that tensions mounted when a Hamas member mistook a serious discussion about the ceasefire for an invitation to play “Two Truths and a Lie.” “It just spiraled from there,” said an aide close to the proceedings. “One moment we’re discussing disarmament, and the next, someone’s claiming they once got a parking ticket in Antarctica.” The leaders, once poised to tackle pressing issues of security and violence, found themselves trapped in a back-and-forth about the best way to cook a falafel. When one side declared “we like it crispy,” the other mistakenly took it as a declaration of war on soggy chickpeas. The absurdity climaxed when an Israeli diplomat, in a fit of desperation, attempted to counter an absurd claim about a rabbi who had allegedly tried to juggle grenades for a YouTube stunt, which turned out to be a prank story someone had just made up. Political analysts are now asking: how have negotiations come to this? “It's like watching a Shakespearean tragedy morph into an episode of a sitcom that no one signed up for,” remarked one exasperated scholar. “At this point, we might as well throw in a laugh track.” Meanwhile, the international community sent out mixed signals. The United Nations issued a statement that said, “We regret to inform you that our peace-keeping mission has been interrupted by a series of unforeseen and highly inappropriate sound effects.” Ironically, those “sound effects” consisted of whoopee cushions being deployed during audio cues, inadvertently resulting in confused laughter echoing between the two factions. Despite the farcical undertones, the situation is anything but humorous for those living in the region. Amidst this clutter of chaos, everyday citizens face the alarmingly real repercussions of these flippant negotiations. “I just wanted my kids to grow up in a safer world,” lamented one mother. “Now we’re left to wonder if the path to peace is paved with salad jokes and impersonations of famous historical figures.” As world leaders prepare to intervene, their own attempts to diffuse the situation have been met with skepticism. When one prominent figure offered a heartfelt suggestion to sit around a campfire and share stories, they were immediately bombarded with memes of ’90s sitcoms about friendship. The hashtag #CampfireNotWar was the top trending topic for a solid week, leaving serious discussions in internet limbo. In a somber but revealing moment, a spokesperson for the Israeli government remarked, “If only we could handle this with the same creativity we apply to making memes, perhaps we’d be closer to a solution.” The truth is, while laughter may be the best medicine, the bitter taste of heartbreak is harder to swallow when it comes to the realities of conflict. As this tragic dinner party continues to unfold over Zoom, the rest of the world looks on with bated breath, torn between laughter, frustration, and the all-too-familiar sound of silence echoing in the halls of diplomacy. It seems clear: in the tragic farce that is Middle Eastern negotiations, the punchline is yet to come, and it might just be the last laugh.