Gaza’s Board of Pieces

JVL Introduction

Chris Hedges writes an appropriately furious piece about the non existent ceasefire and the non existent peace plan.  In October 2025 a much heralded (particularly by Trump himself) peace plan was agreed and a ceasefire was supposed to have started, one that has been violated by Israel hundreds of time resulting in them killing more than 1200 Palestinians since then. Now Hamas has reiterated its willingness to disarm once Israel has withdrawn from Gaza when it will hand over its weapons to a Palestinian body.  Of course Netanyahu and co reject that and will not withdraw unless and until Hamas completely disarm.  Israel was never serious about a ceasefire let alone peace – or rather a version of peace with justice and a future for Palestinians.

As well as Chris Hedge’s powerful words, it is worth also listening to this Instagram post from Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK in which she calls out the double standard whereby Palestine is supposed to have no weapons while Israel continues to retain a powerful and well equipped military. “Demanding that the occupied disarm while the occupying power remains armed to the teeth is not a path to peace. It is a demand for surrender.”

The Palestinians are not surrendering even as they make huge concessions but Israel refuses the slightest compromise. But, as this article makes clear, the failure of Trump’s “Peace Plan” was utterly predictable and its continuing existence on paper is providing cover for Israel’s annexation of Gaza and the West Bank.

LL

This article was originally published by Chris Hedges substack on Mon 10 Aug 2026. Read the original here.