I note this, from the Guardian:
Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of a peace plan to pause fighting and release some hostages and prisoners held in Gaza, bringing the best hope yet of a definitive end to a bloody two-year conflict that has killed ten of thousands, destabilised much of the Middle East and prompted protests across the world.
Donald Trump announced the agreement on his Truth Social network saying all of the hostages held in Gaza would be released soon and Israel would withdraw troops to an agreed upon line as the first step to a “Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace”.
Then I note this, also from the Guardian:
Gaza's civil defence agency has reported several strikes on the territory on Thursday after the announcement that Hamas and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire plan.
“Since the announcement last night of an agreement on a proposed ceasefire framework in Gaza, several explosions have been reported, particularly in areas of northern Gaza,” said one of the agency's officials, Mohammed Al-Mughayyir.
He cited “a series of intense airstrikes” on Gaza City, Agence France-Presse reports.
So, is there a peace deal, or not?
And is it sustainable, as many would hope?
And will suffering end?
I am pleased Hamas agreed to a deal.
But forgive me if I wonder whether it is strong, durable, and everlasting.
I have heard of too many peace deals in my life where none of the causes of conflict have been addressed to be sure of that.
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And the thousands of Palestinian hostages held by the Zionists; are they being released?
Israel’s many announcements that they will kill all the Palestinians and won’t stop until they’re all exterminated; has the Zionist government changed their position on that?
Who in their right mind would trust Trump or Netanyahu?
I think 2,000 of the Palestinians held by Israel are to be released, although they are referred to as prisoners, if they are mentioned, not as hostages. Trump makes no mention of this part of the deal whatsoever.
Any halt to the killing is good.
IMHO we have seen a huge shift.
The world is very aware of the extent of the war crimes committed by Isreal and that the US has facilitated the bombing when it could have stopped it. They have stood by or supported Isreal’s strike’s on neighbours and even Qatar where peace negotiations were taking place.
Trump will like to present this as his plan but I think there has been a shift and others have contributed. Saudi Arabia and France produced the New York Declaration and Turkey, a regional power, has also been involved. They will no longer sit on the sidelines. The Arab states and even much of Europe will no longer be willing to defer to the US and Israel. It is probable Trump doesn’t fully realise but the State Dept. officials do.
This is only the first phase. The annexation of the West Bank is proceeding unabated. It is just as large a problem. If Trump continues to support or even ignore this, he will find most of the world united against him. How far remans to be seen. That will be a new experience for him and the US. We in Europe will have to make it clear ( one of Starmer’s favourite phrases) where we stand.
This is my take on it. Other readers of this blog might see it differently.
Presumably the agreement has to be passed by the Knesset. Problem is the extreme right wing nutters who control it are held bent on continuing the genocide until complete destruction is completed in the whole strip.
It has not been passed yet.
You are right to wonder. Patrick Cockburn has continued to write good pieces about Gaza.
This is not a peace deal.
It is dishonest.
It hasn’t even been preceded by a cease-fire.
A peace deal must be for Palestine/Israel, not a forced relocation of huge numbers of Gazan civilians to a huge concentration camp in some IDF-specified ghetto area, while the violence and war crimes continue along with further annexation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Then there are Israel’s invasions of Syria and Lebanon to deal with.
And Israel is once again muttering about Iran’s nuclear programme.
And Mr & Mrs Netanyahu have a court case ongoing, from which an ongoing conflict/war/crisis requiring the PMs constant criminal attention, is Netanyahu’s only escape.
Netanyahu is addicted to war.