Ceasefire in Gaza: fragile hope amid ongoing suffering
DR LUBNA NADVI
SINCE 7th October 2023, the global community has been watching in horror as what has been referred to as a genocide by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and several other international bodies and governments has been unfolding in the Gaza Strip, Palestine leading to the death of more than 46 000 civilians, more than half of them women and children.
This genocide has been perpetrated by the apartheid state of Israel, which has for more than 15 months been pounding Gaza with largely American manufactured bombs and weapons, and inflicting a reign of terror on the civilian population. The images that have emerged from Gaza have left communities around the world in utter shock at the extent of the death, damage, violence and brutality that Israel has imposed on the people of the tiny coastal territory, unprecedented in modern history.
While some governments such as South Africa, Ireland and Venezuela have shown strong solidarity with the Palestinians, others have either remained silent or opted to support Israel, such as the United States and Britain. The inaction by states to stop the genocide has led to millions of citizens around the world, including American and British nationals, mobilising in multiple ways and intensifying the call for a permanent ceasefire, an end to the genocide and decades long occupation of Palestine by Israel, in particular demanding that Israel be held accountable for its war crimes and violation of human rights.
Using the age old methods of marches, pickets, demonstrations, sit-ins, boycotts and other forms of protest aided by 21st Century modes of activism, such as social media platforms and digital technologies, the world has come together in unexpected ways. In the quest to show support for Palestine, communities have united along what were once considered major political and civilisational fault lines and exposed Israel for the lies and propaganda (also known as hasbara) that it has been peddling for more than seven decades.
While activists in the Palestine solidarity movement had for some time wondered about when a ceasefire would actually materialise in Gaza, the lead up to the transition of political power in the United States, seemingly set off a series of events which appear to have fast tracked the announcement of the ceasefire. While one can only speculate on whether the incoming President Donald Trump’s statement that “all hell will break loose” if there isn’t a ceasefire by the time he takes office did really influence this process, it appears that it may have played a role.
On the 15th January 2025, the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Al Thani announced the ceasefire agreement that had been arrived at between Hamas, which governs the Gaza strip, and the Israeli government. This agreement had been brokered by the Qatari, Egyptian and American governments, who had been engaging behind the scenes with the two parties regarding the terms of the ceasefire for some time.
The previous American President Joe Biden has, however, claimed much of the credit for the ceasefire pointing out that he presented these same conditions for a ceasefire in May 2023. However the genocide continued for several more months. Many have argued that the genocide has, in fact, also determined the outcome of the 2024 American presidential elections as many Americans did not want to vote for Kamala Harris, who they considered as having been part of the US leadership that supported the continuation of the genocide by sending arms and funding to Israel and they did not want to give their vote to such a candidate.
The question that arises now is whether the ceasefire is going to hold and whether it will eventually lead to a situation that facilitates a permanent political resolution for the people of Gaza and the Palestinians in general, whatever that may be.
Given that Israel has over more than 76 years demonstrated that it cannot be trusted as a partner in political negotiations, and that it continuously demands control over every aspect of Palestinian life, the idea of Palestinians being able to achieve the political self determination that they desire and are entitled to as per United Nations resolutions and international law, seems a far off prospect.
The fact that Israel bombed and killed over a 100 Gazans within 24 hours of the ceasefire being announced, is a clear example of the Israel government’s attitude towards the Palestinians.
The terms of the ceasefire, which came into effect on 19 January, outlines a phased approach where a certain number of Israeli hostages that are being held in Gaza will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, held in Israeli jails. This will be followed by humanitarian aid being allowed into Gaza, eventual withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from populated areas in the Strip, a permanent end to the war and in the final phase, it is expected that that there will be a programme of reconstruction.
While the news of the ceasefire has been widely welcomed, in particular by the South African government, it remains to be seen whether each phase of the agreement will actually be implemented as outlined by those who have brokered it. Even if it is, the impact of 15 months of genocide on the population of Gaza, in addition to 76 years of struggle against Israeli occupation, the extent of the damage to people’s lives, physical and mental health, homes and livelihoods are going to take a long time to overcome.
The world’s government’s have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure that the people of Gaza receive the care and support that they deserve and are entitled to as per international law. The South African government’s case at the ICJ needs to still be pursued so that the perpetrators of genocide are held accountable for their actions. Global civil society and Palestine solidarity movements need to continue with their work to ensure that the infrastructure of apartheid imposed by Israel on Palestinians across both the West Bank and Gaza is completely dismantled.
What the last 15 months has certainly demonstrated to the world is that the Palestinians are probably the most resilient people in human history who despite everything that has been done to them by the Israelis and its supporters continue to fight for their rights, resist against their oppression, try and live as best as they can and when they are able to, even offer you a smile in the midst of their suffering. As has been stated repeatedly, Palestinians teach us life.
Dr Nadvi is a political scientist and analyst based at UKZN; and founder member of the KZN Palestine Solidarity Forum and SA Palestine Movement
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.