Truce in Gaza, really!

There is a desperate attempt for cessation of hostilities in Gaza. This time around it is a joint move on the part of war-criminal Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his patron, US President Joe Biden. The half-cooked strategy proposes a three-phase plan that calls for an end to war and that too solely on the Jewish state’s terms and conditions. Biden, who is in rough waters on the eve of the presidential vote, is eager to come out of the mess and wants Tel Aviv to take it as it comes its way. A glance at the salient features suggests that Israel is willing to wind down operations in Gaza by agreeing for a temporary truce, in lieu of return of some hostages held by Hamas. The second phase, which shall never dawn keeping in view the hoodwinking tactics, would go for a negotiated settlement leading to release of remaining live captives.

The plan is not being read well by the Israeli establishment itself, as there are a lot of misgivings. Israel wants complete obliteration of Hamas, whereas on the other hand the militia that swung surprise on October 7 last year wants a guaranteed end to the Gaza offensive, withdrawal of all invading forces, and free movement for Palestinians and reconstruction aid. But that is nowhere on the spelt-out agenda by Washington and Tel Aviv. That means status quo will prevail, and the death toll which has topped 36,000 will keep rising. Moreover, Israel also had the audacity to designate the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) as a ‘terrorist organisation’, inviting severe displeasure from Qatar and Egypt who had been trying to soften the equation by persuading Hamas for a climb-down.

This plan is on the rocks well before it could see the light of the day. Similar overtures from the White House have fallen flat, simply because Israel knows that it can get away with anything. The ridicule to ICJ rulings and world public opinion are cases in point. That will remain so until and unless there is a paradigm change and Netanyahu and his war cabinet are taken to task.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2024.

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