Gaza War | Ceasefire in Gaza unlikely

Once again, a plan for a limited ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is on the table, hatched by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and most likely coordinated in advance with the Israeli government. Now the world is waiting for a response from Hamas, so it's said. The terms are crystal clear and unlikely to be acceptable to Hamas.

According to what has been revealed so far from media reports, Witkoff's new proposal calls for a 60-day ceasefire. Furthermore, ten hostages held in the Gaza Strip are to be released within one week, and the bodies of 18 abducted people are to be handed over. In return, 125 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment, as well as more than 1,000 Gaza residents arrested since the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, are to be released; the bodies of 180 Palestinians are also to be handed over.

Talks about ending the war during ceasefire

According to reports, talks on ending the war will take place during the two-month ceasefire. If the warring parties reach an agreement, the remaining hostages and the remains of other abducted people will be handed over. According to Israeli sources, at least 20 live hostages are currently being held in the Gaza Strip.

With this ceasefire deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could temporarily satisfy the families of the hostages still being held, but he does not have to abandon his goal of continuing the war until Hamas is completely destroyed and the Palestinians are expelled .

Little hope for approval from Hamas

Hamas is still reviewing the US proposal but is rather skeptical. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told Reuters that the agreement "does not meet any of the demands of our people, especially the demand for an end to the war." Hamas representative Sami Abu Zuhri also said that the agreement does not contain any commitments by Israel to end its war against Gaza, to withdraw Israeli troops from the territory, or to allow the free flow of humanitarian aid into the war-torn area.

These statements do not suggest that Hamas will agree to the proposal—which would be a welcome opportunity for Netanyahu to continue the war with even greater violence and blame Hamas solely for it. Israel's far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gwir, has already called for a "full-bore" offensive in the Gaza Strip, citing Hamas's cool reaction to the US ceasefire proposal. It is time to move forward "without flinching," to "destroy Hamas and kill every last man," Ben Gwir declared on Friday on the online service Telegram.

"The occupying power is deliberately blocking aid to the Gaza Strip."

Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Emergency Relief Office in Geneva

From previous negotiations, Israel and the United States are aware that Hamas insists on a complete end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. The US plan does not take this into account, but rather reflects the Israeli government's interest in being able to resume the war after a pause and maintain control over the Gaza Strip.

A respite from the bombings would be a relief for the people in the Gaza Strip, but that's not what it looks like at the moment. The humanitarian situation remains precarious, even though the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) claims to have distributed more than two million meals, equivalent to more than 23,000 food parcels, since it began its work a few days ago. So far, the foundation has three distribution centers open in the Gaza Strip.

UN criticizes Israeli authorities' blockade policy

The United Nations recently brought nearly 600 truckloads of aid through the Israeli border post of Kerem Shalom into the Gaza Strip. However, distribution to those in need is virtually impossible, said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Emergency Relief in Geneva. The roads allocated by the Israeli military are sometimes too dangerous and overcrowded. Sometimes, permits are canceled at short notice. Laerke sharply criticized the Israeli authorities . "The occupying power is deliberately blocking aid to the Gaza Strip," he said. Nowhere else in the world, and nowhere in recent decades, has a humanitarian operation been so hampered. He spoke of an organizational "straitjacket."

French President Emmanuel Macron is therefore calling for a tougher European stance against Israel if the situation in the Gaza Strip does not improve. This means "imposing sanctions," Macron said in Singapore on Friday. "We must toughen our position because it is necessary today, but I still have hope that the Israeli government will change its stance and that we will finally find a humanitarian solution," the French President continued.

Israeli government wants to annex West Bank

But the Israeli government is also violating existing international law on another front: It is planning to annex the West Bank . Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced the establishment of an Israeli state on the territory of the occupied West Bank. "We will establish the Jewish Israeli state here on this soil," Katz declared on Friday during a visit to the north of the Palestinian territories. On Thursday, the Israeli government announced the construction of 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, even though this is illegal under international law.

Katz described his announcement on Friday as a "decisive response to the terrorist organizations that seek to harm and weaken our control over this country ." He also said it was "a clear message" to French President Macron and his partners: "They will recognize a Palestinian state on paper—but we will establish the Jewish Israeli one here on this soil," Katz said. With agencies