Proposed truce in Gaza sparks glimmers of optimism in US initiative
The United States Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, has reportedly proposed a 60-day ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza War. As per Israeli media outlets, the proposed truce involves the release of ten hostages detained in the Gaza Strip in two phases over a week, alongside the handover of the remains of 18 captives.
In exchange, Israel is poised to release 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 deceased Palestinians. During the two-month ceasefire, negotiations will take place to put an end to the Gaza War. Once Israel and Islamic Hamas agree, any remaining hostages and captives' remains will be returned.
The plan also encompasses the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip by the United Nations and international aid organizations. The Israeli army will return to its positions before the latest offensive in March, following the ceasefire. Currently, at least 20 living hostages are believed to be in the Gaza Strip, with the status of three others unknown.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Witkoff expressed optimism about a potential ceasefire in the Gaza War, stating that he had "very good feelings" about a successful ceasefire and a long-term peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The besieged Gaza Strip remains in a perilous state. At least two people were killed, and many were injured during the chaotic storming of a vast warehouse of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the center of the sealed-off coastal region. "Hordes of hungry people" entered the warehouse to access food ready for distribution, according to the UN organization. Al-Aksa Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported that two people were crushed, and two others were shot dead.
Israel has blocked all aid deliveries since March and resumed attacks in the Gaza Strip shortly thereafter, aiming to escalate pressure on the terror organization to release the remaining hostages. Israel claims there is no aid shortage, and the government accuses Hamas of stealing the goods to generate income, an accusation that the organization denies. The UN also states that Israel has not provided any evidence for this.
Unrest has been reported at distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). However, the foundation denied reports of deaths, mass injuries, and chaos at its distribution centers, stating that there have been no fatalities at any of its locations. "Reports claiming otherwise are from Hamas and are false," it said.
As per Israeli government's wishes, the foundation is to be responsible for the distribution of aid goods in the future. This would bypass aid organizations of the UN and other international initiatives. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) criticized this and spoke of a "militarized distribution system" that endangers people and does not meet their needs. "Aid should not be used as a weapon," OCHA said.
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon, on the other hand, accused the UN of "blackmail and threats" against humanitarian organizations collaborating with GHF. "This is mafia-like behavior and a blatant violation of the basic principles of the UN," Danon wrote on Twitter.
Since the commencement of the Gaza War in October 2023, there have been more than 54,200 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip, according to figures from the Hamas-controlled health authority. A third of them are minors. The war began with an attack by Hamas and other Islamic terrorists on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in about 1,200 deaths and more than 250 hostages in the Gaza Strip.
The proposed ceasefire in the Gaza War includes negotiations for a long-term peaceful resolution, which might lead to resuming political discussions beyond the war-and-conflicts context. The UN and international aid organizations could potentially expand their services to deliver humanitarian aid, which has been halted during the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli army's return to its positions and the resumption of services provided by UN and international aid agencies could signal a shift from war-and-conflicts to general-news coverage, focusing on post-conflict recovery and political developments.
