Israel Buries Hopes for Peace in Gaza

The ceasefire in Gaza, which was painstakingly achieved, has collapsed. Failing to impose its demands on Hamas, Israel has once again bombarded the Gaza Strip.

When the ceasefire was agreed upon and planned to take place in three stages starting January 19, 2025, the ultimate goal was a permanent ceasefire. It took more than seven months and a change of president in the United States to realize the agreement between Hamas and Israel.

The points of the ceasefire agreement are broadly similar to the proposal by U.S. President Joe Biden in May 2024. It required the presence of President Donald Trump, through his special envoy Steve Witkoff, to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into signing the agreement.

The first phase of the three-stage ceasefire (January 19 - March 1) proceeded relatively smoothly. Both Hamas and Israel exchanged hostages and detainees. During this phase, both parties were supposed to negotiate the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire.

However, instead of negotiating, Israel, with the support of the US, imposed unilateral demands. They sought an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire until April 20, on the condition that Hamas release at least 50 percent of the hostages alive.

Thanks to the persuasion of Egypt and Qatar, the mediators of the negotiations, in addition to the US, Hamas agreed to release a US citizen hostage and the bodies of four Israeli hostages who died (Kompas.id, 3/21/2025).

One of the most brutal attacks occurred on March 18 when Israel deployed approximately 100 fighter jets targeting a refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of at least 439 Palestinians and injuring 528 others.

Israeli attacks continued on Monday (3/24). Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, was one of the targets of the attacks. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 65 people were killed by Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours, including two Hamas political bureau figures, Salah al-Bardaweel and Ismail Barhoum.

In fact, as reported by The Jerusalem Post, Israel has begun the transfer of Gazans. As many as 70 Gazans were flown by Israel to Romania. Not kidding, in order to push through the transfer of Palestinians from Gaza, Israel will form a special bureau under the Ministry of Defense as the executor.

Condemnation after condemnation from the international community has not shaken Israel from continuing to shed blood in Gaza. As of Monday, according to data from the Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The tragedy in Gaza cannot be separated from Netanyahu's ambition to maintain his power. He needs the support of right-wing politician, Itamar Ben Gvir, who set the condition for the re-ignition of the war in Gaza, to rejoin Netanyahu's government. The support of Ben Gvir's party is needed by Netanyahu to secure votes at the Knesset session discussing the draft state budget, this March.