New attacks in Gaza: will the ceasefire hold?
Just under three weeks after the ceasefire began, the Israeli Air Force has bombed targets in the Gaza Strip, killing more than 90 people according to local reports. Israel's government described the strikes as a response to an attack by Hamas in which a soldier was killed. The terrorist organisation ruling Gaza has denied responsibility for this incident.
All going according to plan for Israel's ultra-right
The fighting in Gaza plays into the hands of the ultra-right in Israel, La Stampa comments:
“While Hamas has a lot to lose from a consolidation of the ceasefire, there is an extremist wing of the government in Israel that has only reluctantly accepted it and wants to break it at the first opportunity. Politicians like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are delighted by Hamas's violations and the resumption of air strikes. ... Their real aim is to torpedo the peace plan and bury the prospect of Palestinian statehood it envisages, and go back to the annexation of the West Bank - or, as they call it, Judea and Samaria.”
Trump's deal in danger
Der Tagesspiegel says Washington must act now:
“The American president must know what it means if Israel strikes back hard against Hamas: the Arab states would turn away, as will much of the rest of the world. Israel would once again face criticism and isolation. Punishing Hamas without consultation and without the support of the Arab states will resurrect the vicious circle of violence. Donald Trump must not risk this defeat. Not so much for his own sake, but for that of the entire Middle East. Hopefully his special envoys will arrive in time.”
Peace only possible without Hamas
The war will continue as long as the terrorist organisation is in charge in Gaza, The Spectator is convinced:
“The time has come for honesty. There will be no 'day after' until Hamas is removed as an organised force and the Palestinians are forced to renounce violence and their maximalist plans to eradicate the Jewish state of Israel. ... There will be no protection for Gazans while they remain hostage to the murderers who claim to fight for them. The United States, having offered deadlines, demands, and guarantees, must now show resolve. Trump's framework is being mocked in plain sight. Israel must be allowed to finish the task which Hamas insists on prolonging.”