Ceasefire in Gaza unlikely as Hamas looks to exploit de-escalation

The conflict in Gaza continues even as international pressure for a ceasefire keeps mounting. According to the latest updates, Israel has decided to continue its military operations in Gaza, while US President Joe Biden dismissed ceasefire calls, siting Hamas’s penchant for exploiting peace by regrouping for a fresh attack.

Regardless of the truth behind this perspective, the ground reality is that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen as the days progress.

President Biden’s opinion piece on Gaza

President Joe Biden’s recent opinion piece in The Washington Post shed light on the reasoning behind his support for continuing military operations in Gaza.

He has stated that, “As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a ceasefire is not peace. To Hamas’s members, every cease-fire is time they exploit to rebuild their stockpile of rockets, reposition fighters, and restart the killing by attacking innocents again.”

President Biden added that, “Our goal should not be simply to stop the war for today — it should be to end the war forever, break the cycle of unceasing violence, and build something stronger in Gaza and across the Middle East so that history does not keep repeating itself.”

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

President Biden went on to speak about his interactions with Israeli authorities, explaining that he has advised Prime Minister Netanyahu to minimize the loss of civilian lives and not let Israeli forces get carried away due to the rage sparked by the attack on October 7^th.

He also pointed out that the United States have made such mistakes in the past which have led to problematic situations, an eventuality that Israel must avoid in this particular case.

The Two-State Solution

President Biden remains firm in his stance that the most apt solution to the seemingly endless conflict over Gaza and the West bank is the Two-State Solution. In recent times, with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the helm, Israel has rejected the Two-State Solution, while Hamas has been opposed to it since the very beginning.

This sits at the core of the issue in today’s conflict and is a difference of opinion that must be resolved bilaterally to achieve peace in the region.

He said,  “As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalized Palestinian Authority, as we all work towards a two state solution.”

PM Netanyahu on the Hostage Crisis

According to Prime Minister Netanyahu, there are no deals in place to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas. As of now, PM Netanyahu plans to continue Israel’s offensive in Gaza until Hamas is completely routed from the region. In the process, the hostages will be rescued and brought back to Israel.

He was also appreciative of the consistent support shown by the United States of America, Israel’s long-term ally that has supplied them with weapons, ammunition and the equipment necessary to make swift progress in this war.

“I greatly appreciate the US, under the leadership of our friend President Biden, who sees eye-to-eye the common interest with Israel. The US has sent to the Middle East aircraft carriers and support vessels, and a special submarine, and is constantly sending us vital munitions.”

Representatives of the United States have also clarified that while a deal is not currently in place, the US is working diligently as a possible mediator to ensure that hostages taken from Israel by Hamas are brought back home safe and sound.