Gaza: Israel wants to occupy territories permanently
Following the announcement of Israel's plan to conquer and permanently occupy the Gaza Strip, spokespersons for the terrorist militia group Hamas have declared that they are no longer interested in negotiating a ceasefire. Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir has announced that tens of thousands of reservists will be called up for the upcoming operations.
Seemingly no alternative to war
Radio Kommersant sees little sign of de-escalation:
“Israel is preparing a new large-scale operation in the Gaza Strip, but has not yet begun it pending the arrival of the US president. ... We recall the fine-sounding statements about how the inhabitants of Gaza can leave for any country they choose and live there happily ever after. But nothing of the sort is happening. Instead there are signs of a new major war. ... Perhaps a personal meeting between the White House boss and the Saudi princes will change something. However, as things stand today it seems that there is no alternative to a military solution.”
No one stopping Netanyahu
El País is resigned:
“Netanyahu can act with complete impunity because he doesn't feel the slightest pressure. ... At the domestic level the hostages hardly matter any more - of the 59 remaining hostages most are already dead, according to even the most optimistic calculations. Nor do the serious charges pending against him in court, or the protests of hundreds of thousands against his warmongering. ... And outside Israel the international arrest warrant against him is merely symbolic, the Trump administration supports his actions and, despite the condemnatory statements, Israel continues to do lucrative military deals with Western countries. And all this on top of an unimaginable pile of rubble, misery and death.”
An ultimatum to Hamas
La Repubblica comments:
“The operation will involve thousands of reservists who are far from happy with the decision and will result in the displacement of millions of Palestinians. This is an ultimatum to Hamas, which will be triggered if no deal is reached on the release of the hostages within around ten days, i.e. when the 'window of opportunity' provided by Donald Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Emirates ends on 16 May. This brings us back to the plan of the messianic ultra-right to occupy these 365 square kilometres of battered Palestinian land even though it is not yet clear whether the occupation will be total or partial, temporary or permanent.”
Critical voices in Israel too
There are still opponents of Netanyahu in his own country, Avvenire interjects:
“It's reassuring that there are still many voices in Israel that reject the racist, fundamentalist and xenophobic behaviour of the ultra-right government in power; and that part of this society still feels appalled by the humanitarian catastrophe affecting the Palestinian population and the government's cynical indifference to the fate of the Israeli citizens who are still hostages. A catastrophe that is the result of Prime Minister Netanyahu's deliberate intention of continuing the war indefinitely to impose the long-term reoccupation of the land and to initiate the 'resettlement' of its inhabitants.”
Forever war and perpetual hell
The plan for humanitarian aid to be distributed by private organisations are mere window dressing, The Economist laments:
“The plan has huge flaws. It leaves the Palestinians reliant on subsistence-level rationing indefinitely. It is not clear how hospitals and refugee shelters will be supplied. ... Israeli officials expect aid organisations will eventually capitulate and offer to help once they realise this is the only way aid will get into Gaza without Hamas being in tacit control. ... Gaza is becoming Israel's forever war, and Gazans' perpetual hell.”