The most important and humane aspect of the planned ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is the end for an assured six weeks in the first instance, of the brutal and inhumane slaughter of Palestinian children, women and non-combatant men. The health authorities in Gaza have estimated that over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, many in the most brutal circumstances imaginable. Former USA CIA director John Brenan has put the number of deaths between 70,000 and 80,000.
While there is certain to be relief from not seeing this genocidal killing live in our living rooms, the leaders of the most militarily and economically powerful countries must carry the burden of having done little to stop the slaughter as it raged over 15 months. Indeed, a few of these leaders supplied the Israel Defence Force with 20,000-pound American-made bombs, and provided protection for them at international fora.
An indication of the inhumanity of the killings can be seen in the reality that notwithstanding a general agreement to end the bombings, the slaughter will continue until Sunday, when the agreement is due to be signed.
“The priority now must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict,” stated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
One element of the ceasefire agreement is the opening of the way for hundreds of truckloads of food, water, medicine and other necessities of modern life to be delivered daily to the starving Palestinians in Gaza.
It must, however, be recognised that reaching the ceasefire agreement is loaded with potential for political wrangling and manoeuvring. Even before the document is signed, the outgoing and incoming presidents of the United States, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, are already locked in an argument over who can lay rightful claim for bringing the killings to an end.
First introduced eight months ago by the Biden administration, the ceasefire agreement of the present is said to be the same. The critics are asking what prevented an end to the killings of innocent Palestinian people and the return of Israeli civilian hostages by Hamas. One answer given is to allow President Trump to boast of an accomplishment on his first day in office. Incumbent President Biden has settled for saying it was a joint effort.
That kind of settlement, however, must surely create space for continuing political contestations. The chief negotiator and acting Gaza chief, Khalil al-Hayya, is reported by the BBC as saying the agreement represents “a milestone in the conflict with the enemy, on the path to achieving our people’s goals of liberation and return.” He however noted that, “we will not forget, and we will not forgive” the suffering inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza.
The first phase of the agreement ends the bombing and killings; the second phase will see the Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza. In the third phase, negotiations for the reconstruction of the destroyed Gaza will be engaged. Two major questions arise: how are the approximately two million Palestinians of Gaza to live in a city levelled to the ground? Which countries will take on the responsibility for the reconstruction of Gaza? It’s a task which will take years, with the cost being completely outside the capacity of the Palestinian National Authority controlled by Fatah.
