Editor,
The fragile peace in Gaza appears to have been broken once again. Despite the insistence from the US that the ceasefire remains intact, fresh Israeli strikes on Sunday (October 19) led to the deaths of at least 45 Palestinians. In fact, at least 97 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across Gaza since the start of the latest ceasefire on October 10. This proves what many expected from the start: this so-called ‘peace deal’ was only a short break from the fighting and not a real solution. A ceasefire that cannot protect civilians or bring dignity is not real peace.
Trump’s ceasefire plan was praised as a diplomatic success but it had weak foundations from the very beginning. It did not answer basic questions like who will govern Gaza after the war, who will fund the $55 billion needed for reconstruction and the issue of Palestinian statehood. True peace will come only when Palestinians are given justice, freedom and dignity. Until that happens, every ceasefire will collapse sooner or later.
Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai
Via e-mail
