A little over a month after the barbaric attack perpetrated by Hamas against Israel, which cost the lives of 1,200 people, every day brings its share of destruction and drama to Gaza. Several thousand innocent Palestinian civilians have already died under Israeli bombs, hospitals are no longer functioning, wounded people are dying, the humanitarian situation is catastrophic.
At a minimum, a humanitarian truce is crucial to help residents. But the prospect of a ceasefire, even momentary, remains inaudible at the top of the Jewish state. Benjamin Netanyahu rules out any cessation of strikes until the 240 hostages have been released. In a traumatized country, “it seems illusory to hope for a ceasefire from the government if it obtains nothing from Hamas,” underlines Jean-Loup Samaan, researcher at the Middle East Institute at the University of Singapore. as much as the Prime Minister, who is gambling on his political survival, has adopted a die-hard position, from which it is difficult for him to extricate himself.”
Macron raises the ire of the Jewish state
Emmanuel Macron’s call to “work for a ceasefire”, then his interview with the BBC urging “Israel to stop” the bombings against civilians, aroused the ire of the Jewish state. The French president, who has changed his position, is one of the rare Western leaders on this line. The Americans are far from it, even if they ask Israel for more restraint.
However, the subject of a ceasefire will eventually become necessary. And the Israelis are aware of this. The more the idea that Gaza has become a “children’s cemetery” takes root, the more international – and especially American – pressure will increase to put an end to the bombings. Especially since the military strategy of “eradicating” Hamas seems unrealistic. “As long as Israel remains committed to this objective, there will be no end to this cycle of violence which could cause an escalation with Hezbollah and Iran,” said Bilal Saab, a researcher at the Middle East Institute. Washington. This would be the worst scenario: neither the Americans nor the Israelis have any interest in it.
“Attempting to completely eliminate Hamas can only be done at the cost of tens of thousands of civilian victims, which could encourage the emergence of an even more radical movement,” adds Karim Bitar, professor at Saint -Joseph from Beirut, for whom it is necessary to weaken this organization by targeting above all its leaders, its financial support, its logistics and by offering a political horizon to the Palestinians. If the Jewish state does not master its war machine in time, it will sink a little deeper into the diabolical trap of terrorists.