‘Ceasefire Is Not Justice’

Finally, there is a ceasefire. But this ceasefire is fragile. Ironically both Biden and Trump are claiming credit for stoppage of war in the Middle East, at least for the time being. In truth, a ceasefire doesn’t mean the end of war. It is just the beginning of a new phase of continuing conflict by another means. Both sides are regrouping to prepare for the next confrontation. The future of the Gaza conflict is anything but certain. The Biden administration has so far provided Israel with at least $17.9 billion in military aid since October 2023 when Israel’s genocidal campaign commenced following an attack by Hamas on Israel. The US allowed mass massacre to continue by providing an endless supply of weapons to Netanyahu. The Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel was ‘barbaric’ but Israel chose not to go to war simply against Hamas, but has instead waged an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people.

For 15 months Israel and its main backer America have tried to erase the Palestinian people without much success because of Palestinian perseverance and resistance. Also, the growing solidarity movement in support of the Palestinian cause across the world created an atmosphere conducive to a ceasefire. Then multiple human rights bodies have repeatedly said that Israel’s war in Gaza constitutes genocide or acts of genocide, all in the name of combating the terror outfit Hamas. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. The Court has also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Misri for alleged crimes against humanity. But all these exercises at an international level are good for propaganda as these institutions have no mandatory power to execute their own orders. Both Israel and Hamas simply ignored ICC judgments.
In just the 24 hours surrounding the announcement of a ceasefire, the Israeli government killed as many as 116 Gazans. In a touching farewell of a child, a grief-stricken father said, ‘Let him be the last martyr of Gaza’. The death toll in the enclave stands at over 46,000 as per the statement issued by the health officials. However, a recently published peer-reviewed analysis estimates that Israel’s assault on Gaza had actually killed 64,260 people, mostly civilians–men, women and children–between October 7, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

Both sides are celebrating victory. In reality, it is the defeat of superior Israeli firepower. For over 15 months, the Israeli military has tried every possible strategy to destroy Palestinian resistance, yet it has failed. Defense experts are now busy explaining how a country with such advanced killing technologies could fail to subdue a group of fighters who make their own weapons, mainly relying on improvised devices, managed to defeat an entire arsenal provided to Israel by the United States, Germany, Italy and many other western and non-western countries. Israel and its American bosses assumed that by bombing Gaza to the Stone Age they would destroy the resistance. But the resistance in Gaza is directly tied to the Palestinian people. It reaffirms the people’s resolve to continue the struggle, drawing inspiration from the words of great African-American leader Malcolm X:” By any means necessary”. The bond between people and militants remained unbroken despite an atrocious campaign by Israel. This time the Israeli army suffered devastating losses, greater than any military confrontation with Arab armies since Israel’s establishment in 1948. They have not learned anything from Vietnam.

Ceasefire offers a brief reprieve. The path forward requires accountability, the dismantling of systemic oppression and unwavering global action.

Countless children have been killed, maimed and orphaned, lives irreversibly altered by amputation and entire communities devastated as homes, schools, and livelihoods have been destroyed. It may take years, if not decades to rebuild Gaza. The recovery will be a long and arduous journey. But healing cannot begin without addressing the root causes of the Palestinian crisis.

 19-01-2025