THE FRAGILE ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has again highlighted the continued suffering of the more than two million Palestinian civilians there.
Since Israel’s military campaign in the territory began in October 2023, over 68,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, and Israeli attacks have left as many as 170,000 wounded.
These figures are supported by the United Nations (UN), which says at least 30,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition due to Israel’s weaponization of food.
Today, the country is still not fulfilling its part under the ceasefire agreement to allow 600 trucks of aid into Gaza. It only allows an average of 89 a day.
Israel has received all 20 living hostages who were taken during Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. But the bodies of 15 others are yet to be found, likely buried under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli forces.
Israel will not even allow Hamas to bring in heavy equipment to find those bodies.
Israeli forces have already violated the ceasefire. The most recent bombing in Gaza killed about 60 Palestinians after Israel said two of its troops were killed by Hamas fighters. But the United States and independent journalists said the explosion was caused by a bulldozer hitting an unexploded ordnance, not a Hamas attack.
Top US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, even visited Israel recently to ensure the truce holds.
A UN Mine Action Service report in May 2024 said approximately 7,500 tons of unexploded ordnance were buried across Gaza. Bombs supplied by the US to Israel include 14,000 MK-84 2,000-lb bombs, 6,500 500-lb bombs and 3,000 Hellfire precision-guided missiles. Israeli forces have used these to reduce Gaza to rubble, burying in the process more than a thousand bodies of Palestinians, mostly women and children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu really wants to resume the war to postpone his trial for corruption. At present, a multinational task force made up of troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates is being formed to monitor the ceasefire. The US Central Command will be in Israel to oversee events in Gaza.
During the 80th UN General Assembly in September, 157 out of 193 nations have recognized Palestine as an independent state. The UN and its judicial body, the International Court of Justice, said Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal under international law.
Palestine has been a UN observer since November 2012. Its efforts to become a member have been continually blocked by the US. On Sept. 26, 2024, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide co-led a meeting of representatives of about 90 countries, held on the sidelines of that year’s UN General Assembly, to launch a global alliance for a two-state solution.
Since the Arab summit meeting in 1982, the Palestine Liberation Organization has accepted the concept of a two-state solution to be based in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. But Hamas, which has been declared a terrorist organization, made a new policy statement in 2017 saying it would accept the idea of a Palestinian state as long as this is defined by the 1967 borders. It does not formally recognize the state of Israel. (To be continued)/PN
