Has The Gaza Ceasefire Already Collapsed? Inside The ‘Peace Deal’ That Keeps Killing | World News

Washington: Israel has killed nearly 100 Palestinians and injured around 230 in Gaza since the fragile ceasefire began on October 10. The agreement came after long negotiations led by the United States. It was intended to end the war. Gaza never found this peace.

Israeli soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians. Warplanes dropped bombs again. The last wave came on Sunday. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said Hamas fighters attacked its soldiers in Tel Aviv-controlled Rafah.

The war has turned Gaza into a wasteland. International organizations and the United Nations commission now call this “genocide”. More than 68,000 Palestinians died. There are more than 170,200 injured. On the Israeli side, 1,139 people were killed in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. Nearly 200 people were held hostage.

The ceasefire was supposed to stop all this. Hope had to be rebuilt and Gaza had to breathe again.

The Fire That Never Goes Out

The Israeli military said Hamas broke the ceasefire on Sunday. Two Hamas fighters allegedly killed two Israeli soldiers in Rafah.

Israel responded with a “massive and comprehensive” wave of air strikes on Gaza.

Hamas’ Qassam Brigades denied any fighting. The group said Rafah is under full Israeli control and no Palestinian fighters are operating there.

Israel accused Hamas of refusing to return the bodies of 28 prisoners killed in previous bombings. Hamas said it needed digging equipment to dig up remains buried under the rubble. Thousands of Palestinians also lie under the ruins. Gaza authorities believe more than 10,000 bodies remain beneath collapsed houses.

What Did the Ceasefire Promise?

The ceasefire came from the 20-point plan that US President Donald Trump implemented in late September. Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye acted as mediators.

The plan called for both sides to cease all hostilities. Israel was supposed to lift the blockade and allow unlimited humanitarian aid to Gaza. Hamas was expected to release all captives, dead or alive. Israel would release approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and people missing in custody.

The plan also called for Hamas to give up governing Gaza. A technocratic management will take over. Israeli forces will withdraw gradually. Hamas will be disarmed. Some fighters would receive amnesty. Others will be given safe passage to other countries.

Hamas agreed to release the captives and accept “independent Palestinian administration” for Gaza. For the rest, the group said the issues should be addressed “within an overarching Palestinian national framework of which we will be an integral part and contribute.”

Israel’s Record Under Armistice

The Government Media Office in Gaza announced that Israel violated the ceasefire 80 times. 97 Palestinians lost their lives in these attacks.

On Friday, Israeli forces opened fire on a civilian vehicle in the Zeitoun neighborhood. 11 members of the Abu Shaban family were killed. Seven of them were children. Three of them were women. They were heading home.

Dozens more people were killed in airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday.

On Monday, Israel once again claimed that it respected the ceasefire. Hours later, his army attacked the Shucayea region in northern Gaza. Many Palestinians were killed. Israel said they “posed a threat” after crossing the “yellow line”, the vague border set by the Israeli army.

This yellow line now defines fear in Gaza. It passes through open fields and ruins. Anyone who walks over is in danger of being shot.

Israel also restricted aid. The door to prosperity is still closed. On Tuesday, the United Nations said Israel would only allow 300 aid trucks. The original agreement promised twice this figure.

Hamas’ Record Under Ceasefire

Hamas released all 20 living prisoners. 12 of the 28 bodies were returned.

The group insists it still respects the ceasefire. It is stated that the search for the bodies of the prisoners is slow due to Gaza being buried under its own ruins.

Without new machines and outside help, rescue efforts are progressing step by step. Gaza civil defense says more than 10,000 Palestinians are trapped under rubble and concrete.

Life After the Armistice

Many families tried to return. Most found there was nothing left. Entire neighborhoods disappeared. The streets turned into sand. People sift through the rubble to find where their homes once stood.

The yellow line scares them. Nobody knows where it starts and where it ends. More than half of Gaza is now under Israeli control.

Food is scarce. Clean water is rare. Aid trucks are waiting. Israel keeps the doors closed.

Israel says it will maintain a “buffer zone” until there is no “terrorist threat”.

Analysts say this gives Israel the freedom to stay indefinitely.

Is There Still a Ceasefire?

Trump says the ceasefire is still valid. He said American officials would ensure the situation remained “very peaceful.”

Dozens of people died in Israeli attacks on Sunday. Shortly after, the army announced that the ceasefire was continuing.

Hamas says it remains committed to the agreement. He says the goal is still peace.

Gaza is waiting again. The city stands still. The silence feels like a warning.