Israel and Hamas and the possible cease-fire
The confrontation between Hamas and Israel is now entering its eleventh day, while rumours of a possible ceasefire resound with increasing intensity, despite the inaction of the UN Security Council, which has been unable to reach a joint resolution to put an end to this exchange of attacks that continues to leave an incessant trickle of civilian deaths.
During the last day the Israeli army has carried out several air strikes against the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of at least six civilians. During the operation, houses and flats were hit, as well as military sites belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Since hostilities began on May 10, 230 Palestinians have been killed, including 65 children, and more than 1710 have been wounded. For its part, Israel reports 12 deaths, including one child.
Despite multiple condemnations from the international community and continuous calls for a cessation of hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would not cease his offensive until the objectives set in Gaza had been achieved. During a meeting with dozens of foreign ambassadors, Netanyahu stated that "we are trying to maximise the operation to restore tranquillity and a period of calm that Israel can win". To which the Israeli prime minister added that to achieve this desired calm "you can either conquer them, and that's always an open possibility, or you can deter them", and according to Netanyahu himself, they have opted for "forceful deterrence".
The Israeli prime minister's statements make it clear that all diplomatic efforts, no matter where they come from, will be futile until Tel Aviv concludes its operations against Hamas and Islamic Jihad. US President Joe Biden has been drawn into a conflict that he intended to put on the back burner, at least for the first few months of his term. But the escalation of violence in the fighting has forced the United States, as the country's main ally, to take a stand.
Initially, Biden showed his "unwavering" support for Israel and defended the Jewish state's right to defend itself against external threats, which has led the US to block four joint UN Security Council resolutions, the last of which was sponsored by France with the support of Egypt and Jordan. The US justifies the blockade on the premise that these statements could affect parallel diplomatic efforts.
The US president has again contacted the Israeli prime minister in support of a "de-escalation", while an Egyptian security source said that the parties had agreed in principle to a ceasefire, but that the details needed to be worked out. Diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement as soon as possible appear to be continuing. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has travelled to Israel where he is due to meet his Israeli counterpart, Gaby Ashkenazi, as well as Defence Minister Beny Gantz and President Reuven Rivlin. On the Palestinian side, he will meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayed.
It seems that international mediation has finally borne fruit after 11 days of conflict, and a cessation of hostilities is inching closer. A senior official of the Islamist Hamas movement, Musa Abu Marzuq, confirmed that he foresees a ceasefire with Israel "in one or two days".
Marzuq, in an interview with Al Mayadeen, pointed out that "the ceasefire is related to the Gaza Strip and does not include the places of confrontation in the West Bank and the interior". He also noted that "the ongoing efforts regarding the ceasefire will be successful", but stressed that "the talk now is only about a ceasefire, without stopping any other form of resistance".
