Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza early Tuesday morning local time, breaking a two-month ceasefire and killing at least 400 Palestinians.
The resumption of Israel’s assault on Gaza is, sadly, not entirely surprising. Ceasefire talks had stalled over implementation of the next phase of the plan brokered by US envoy Steve Witkoff, which would have required Hamas to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip.
Benjamin Netanyahu, along with the hardliners in his cabinet, seems determined to continue the conflict, with the apparent intention to oversee a mass transfer of two million Palestinian inhabitants out of Gaza. Netanyahu’s political survival and personal liberty are also likely at stake, as ending the conflict and defying the most extreme members of his coalition would likely end his term in office, making him vulnerable to charges of corruption.
US hostage envoy Adam Boehler, who tried to circumvent the stalled talks by negotiating directly with Hamas to release the hostages, appeared to have been sidelined last week after stating that the United States was “not an agent of Israel”. The Trump administration’s policy has been erratic, to say the least, with officials such as Witkoff and Boehler pursuing commendable diplomatic initiatives, while the President has stated his desire for the United States to “take over” Gaza and to “clean it out”.
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