What future is there for Palestinians in Gaza? The announcement of a ceasefire brought profound relief, shaded by an equally deep sense of trepidation. Almost a month later, the picture looks bleaker. The Israeli offensive abated, Hamas has returned the surviving hostages and the remains of some of those who have died, and Israel has released some Palestinian detainees and the remains of others.
More than 200 Palestinians, including children, have reportedly died in strikes that Israel says are in response to Hamas attacks. Thousands of bodies are still believed to be trapped beneath the ruins — debris which, it is estimated, would take a fleet of more than 100 trucks seven years to shift. Aid is flowing again, but remains wholly inadequate, with nongovernmental organizations warning that Israel’s new registration system is obstructing delivery.
Israeli demolitions continue in the half of Gaza that its forces still hold. The UN International Children’s Emergency Fund last week said that the education system — insofar as it survives after two years of war and the destruction of more than 90 percent of school and university buildings — is on the brink of collapse. New babies are born literally in the rubble, to mothers who have neither homes nor working hospitals.
Fears about maintaining the ceasefire have not disappeared. Mediators are discussing a potential deal to give Hamas fighters safe passage out of Israeli-held Rafah if they surrender their arms, in the hope of resolving a possible flashpoint. Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed al-Ansari pointed to a deeper risk last week: That Gaza slides toward a limbo of “no war, no peace,” in which deaths continue and reconstruction cannot occur.
The ceasefire agreement was reached by deferring all the difficult questions. However, the US is keen to press ahead with a UN security council resolution mandating the establishment of an international stabilization force. That requires agreement on multiple difficult issues: the force’s mandate and composition — Israel has rejected a role for Turkish troops — and its relationship with a Palestinian civil police force, US military leadership, details of Israeli military withdrawal, and of what happens to Hamas weapons and fighters.
US President Donald Trump does not want “his” ceasefire to disintegrate and has long hoped to expand the Abraham Accords of his first term, normalizing relations between Israel and more Arab states. That appears unlikely without steps toward a better deal for Palestinians. Notably, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. is making a rare visit to the US later this month.
Although much of what happens in the world is dictated by Trump’s whims, it would be wrong to see the ceasefire as a random gift from Trump. It reflected the growing international outrage at a genocidal war, led by the public, with governments dragged along behind. Gaza has now slipped back down the agenda. Germany was quick to suggest that it would lift restrictions on arms exports to Israel which it applied only in August.
Israel still resists allowing international journalists to enter Gaza. Public attention must be maintained to sustain Trump’s interest, persuade him to press Israel to comply with the existing agreement, and ensure that further steps do not utterly betray Palestinians. Only sustained pressure can hope to bring anything approaching justice and lasting peace to the region. Palestinians need not only food, but a future.
On Sunday, 13 new urgent care centers (UCC) officially began operations across the six special municipalities. The purpose of the centers — which are open from 8am to midnight on Sundays and national holidays — is to reduce congestion in hospital emergency rooms, especially during the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year. It remains to be seen how effective these centers would be. For one, it is difficult for people to judge for themselves whether their condition warrants visiting a major hospital or a UCC — long-term public education and health promotions are necessary. Second, many emergency departments acknowledge
US President Donald Trump’s seemingly throwaway “Taiwan is Taiwan” statement has been appearing in headlines all over the media. Although it appears to have been made in passing, the comment nevertheless reveals something about Trump’s views and his understanding of Taiwan’s situation. In line with the Taiwan Relations Act, the US and Taiwan enjoy unofficial, but close economic, cultural and national defense ties. They lack official diplomatic relations, but maintain a partnership based on shared democratic values and strategic alignment. Excluding China, Taiwan maintains a level of diplomatic relations, official or otherwise, with many nations worldwide. It can be said that
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