Now, as the bloody war between Israel and Hamas escalates after the latter’s refusal of an Israeli ceasefire proposal, negotiations appear further away than ever. Currently, the Israeli government is pressuring Hamas to disclose information on the unknown number of Israeli hostages they are holding alive. In exchange, Israel has promised to exchange the bodies of 160 dead Palestinians for the remains of 16 dead Israeli captives. Hamas has come out against the proposal. They continue to call for any surrender of hostages to be tied to a ceasefire in the ongoing war.
This deepened dramatically when, in early March, Israel imposed a humanitarian blockade. More recently, his administration has taken actions that have resulted in the current, and most grave, crisis in Gaza. The UN warned last week that living conditions in the enclave were at their most critical point since fighting started. Tragically, more than 51,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed since the outbreak of this conflict.
Responding to the news of hostages being taken, Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, declared a right hardline position on this. He stated unequivocally on Telegram, “No deal, no ceasefire, and no aid – only the continuation of fighting until the surrender of the Nazis from Gaza.” This desire is a direct response to a larger push from far-right Israeli legislators to expand the military response against Hamas.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating by the hour. As the UN pointed out this week, lifesaving supplies are approaching a state of “total depletion” because of Israel’s blockade on all humanitarian aid. Mental health needs are at an all-time high, especially for children. Even as violence and deprivation continue to rise in the country, they are under increasing stress to contain their civilian populations.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported a catastrophic toll. Since the shootings at the Capitol on March 18, almost 1,700 Palestinians have been killed due to Israeli violence. Over two million people are currently trapped in Gaza. Critical infrastructure is in tatters, and vital public services are circling the drain.
UN officials have emphasized Israel’s legal obligations under international law to ensure access to food, medical care, and public health services for those in Gaza. Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, recently emphasized a dangerous trend. As violence and poverty increasingly affect their everyday lives, so stress levels are rising among youths, his letue insisted.
In a rare display of sensitivity, one senior Hamas leader called the idea laughable. We said, “We reject the proposal in its entirety and specificity.” Hamas has unequivocally stated that it will never accept disarmament. In other words, they want a real and complete resolution to the nearly five-year-long conflict before. Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official on the ground, reiterated that all of the resistance and their military capabilities are linked to the Israeli occupation. He made it a natural right for his people and all subjugated peoples to resist.
As discussions stall and calls for escalation grow louder from certain factions within Israel, the likelihood of a diplomatic resolution appears increasingly remote. Bezalel Smotrich, another Israeli political figure, asserted, “The state of Israel shall not surrender to Hamas and won’t end the war without the complete victory and fulfillment of all its objectives, including eliminating Hamas and returning all the hostages.”
