Key issues still need to be resolved, Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu says. But he insists that the second phase of the US-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza is close – the promised steps after the first-phase of ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchanges, and Israeli pullback.
It would be easier to take such welcome assurances at face value were the ceasefire itself genuine. Under the second phase of Donald Trump’s plan, Israel should withdraw its troops further from Gaza as a transitional authority is set up and an international security force is deployed. But the IDF instead has fortified its evacuated “green zone” to give every impression of permanent occupation of 58 per cent of Gaza, instead of the agreed temporary 53 per cent.
It envisages building scattered fenced camps there for vetted returning Palestinians, rather than supporting the rebuilding of Palestinian communities. The “red zone”, now home to 2.2 million living in tents, is apparently to be left in ruins. Despite a “ceasefire” declared two months ago the Gaza death toll continues to rise.
Malnutrition is still taking a heavy toll. Despite the promised, but partial, resumption of supplies, more than 9,000 children and 8,300 pregnant and breastfeeding women were hospitalised for acute malnutrition in October alone, according to the UN. Aid agencies report continuing Israeli restrictions on their humanitarian shipments and heavy rains have led to flooding.
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All but one of the bodies of the dead hostages have been returned, but the composition and mandate of both a governing council and an international stabilisation force is far from agreed. Arab countries refuse to be part of a force which is required to take on Hamas militarily.
Hamas, meanwhile, continues to refuse to disarm – though is reportedly willing to consider “freezing or storing” its weapons. And Israel continues to regard it as a legitimate target.
Renewed and intensified diplomatic pressure on Israel, the US and Hamas is desperately needed to revive this fragile peace process.
