An unsolid ceasefire brings relief, questions and fears

JVL Introduction

Here the ceasefire agreement is explained in some detail, with serious concerns about its fragility outlined.  The deal is a framework for future agreement and could break down at any time along the way, potentially plunging tthe people of Gaza back into the nightmare it is hoping will end on Sunday.  The deal is almost the same as the one Hamas agreed to as far back as May.  Estimates are that as many as 10,000 people now dead would be alive if the ceasefire had come into effect last summer.

As we read, we can imagine the almost inconceivable enormity of the work ahead.  Who will pay for this? Who will coordinate this?  As things stand, the threat to UNRWA’s operation in the Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem is imminent.

There is also a need for a political future; “to craft a Palestinian re-imagining of a unified political system capable of charting a path towards freedom. Remaining divided will only serve the Israeli right’s goal of Palestine’s political and material erasure and reducing the Palestinian issue to a humanitarian one.”

To stand a chance of reconstruction, recreation and ongoing resilience, Israel must stop the airstrikes and other attacks and our own governments need to end their collusion and stand up for international law.

LL

This article was originally published by The New Arab on Thu 16 Jan 2025. Read the original here.