International criticism escalates against Israel's military operation in Gaza
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has taken a new turn, with Egypt and Qatar mediating a new ceasefire framework that seeks a comprehensive hostage release and Israeli withdrawal in exchange for a permanent ceasefire. This marks a shift from earlier schemes that envisioned staged hostage exchanges and phased withdrawals.
The key details of the proposed framework include:
- The immediate release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
- The withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza, ending the active military occupation.
- The ceasefire aims to halt hostilities indefinitely, moving beyond temporary truces proposed earlier.
This new framework contrasts with a previous ceasefire deal from 2024-2025, which involved multiple rounds of hostage-and-prisoner exchanges, a six-week initial ceasefire, followed by phased Israeli withdrawal, and a reconstruction effort planned over 3-5 years. However, this earlier agreement faced implementation challenges, including Israel's refusal to fully withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor despite commitments to do so.
Recent Israeli government positions have emphasised Netanyahu’s war-ending principles as disarming Hamas, securing the hostages’ release, demilitarizing Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control, and establishing a new civilian administration independent of Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. However, Israel has recently rejected an alternative cessation plan as insufficient to defeat Hamas or secure hostage release.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has approved plans for expanded offensive operations in Gaza City and other strongholds, preparing to seize remaining Hamas areas, while Gaza faces worsening humanitarian conditions. This military posture contrasts with the ongoing mediated ceasefire efforts emphasising humanitarian considerations and hostages’ safe return.
The new ceasefire framework is currently being discussed with Hamas in Cairo, as efforts to end the conflict intensify. Key international players, including Germany, Britain, France, Canada, and the United States, have strongly condemned Israel's decision for a military takeover of Gaza City, stating it will worsen the "catastrophic humanitarian situation," endanger hostages, and further risk mass displacement.
Aid organisations have criticised the airdrops of aid packages as expensive, insufficient, and potentially dangerous for people on the ground. Despite this, aid packages were airdropped in Deir al Balah, Gaza, by Italy and Greece for the first time, with barefoot children collecting rice, pasta, and lentils from the packages that had spilled onto the ground.
The United Nations Security Council plans an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation in Gaza. The U.N.-led system has called for more trucks to be allowed into Gaza and safely distributed within the territory. However, Israel alleges that Hamas diverts aid from the existing U.N.-led system.
The latest developments come as families of hostages are pressuring the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid new fears over the 50 remaining hostages, with 20 of them thought to be alive and struggling. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Israel is forcing Palestinians into a state of near-starvation.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in 98 children dying of malnutrition-related causes since the war began in October 2023, and 114 adult deaths from malnutrition-related causes since June, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Germany has said it won't authorize any exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza until further notice.
As the negotiations continue, the international community is closely watching the developments in Gaza, hoping for a peaceful resolution that ensures the safety and wellbeing of all civilians involved.
- The ongoing negotiations in Cairo between Hamas and the international mediators regarding the new ceasefire framework in Gaza reveal the international community's growing concern for the general wellbeing of civilians, particularly the release of the remaining hostages.
- Despite the political complexity involved, key players like Germany and the United States have strongly criticized Israel's military actions in Gaza, asserting that they will exacerbate the dire humanitarian crisis and potentially endanger hostages, contravening the government's emphasis on Netanyahu’s war-ending principles.
- In the midst of the evolving political landscape and the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, various aid organizations and foreign ministers are calling for immediate attention to the health issues, as the number of deceased children due to malnutrition since October 2023 continues to climb.
