By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL (TURKISH JOURNAL) – Palestinians took to the streets across all territories to celebrate the ceasefire agreed to between Israel and Hamas that officially began at 2:00 AM local time in the Middle East. After a flurry of behind-the-scenes diplomacy and extensive negotiations brokered primarily by Egypt with Qatar – the Israeli Cabinet agreed to the ceasefire with Hamas. Israel told the press that Egypt proposed the ceasefire agreement and is “mutual and unconditional.” A Hamas official referred to the ceasefire agreement as a “mutual and simultaneous truce.” Hundreds of Palestinians celebrated in the streets with fireworks at the news of the ceasefire that ended the 11-day conflict in Gaza. The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire has been welcomed by all sides concerned about the conflict and will be under scrutiny in coming weeks.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed news of the ceasefire but made it clear that both sides needed to return to dialogue to resolve the root cause of the conflict. Guterres said: “I call on all sides to keep the ceasefire.” The secretary-general also said that “an integrated, robust package of support” is planned to assist the Palestinians in Gaza, adding that both leaders “have a responsibility to start dialogue.” Meanwhile, on Thursday in an emergency session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the issue of Palestine and the conflict, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al- Maliki urged the international community to “stop the massacre.” Guterres said the lives of children in Gaza had become “a hell on earth” and warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis. The Qatari Foreign Minister commented it was the failure of the international community to act, that damaged UN credibility. The UN General Assembly President said that Israel’s actions were “inhumane and unbearable” and an assault on the Palestinians. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of “organized state terror” while Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “We will not remain silent in the face of unspeakable atrocities and brutality.”
In a press briefing at the White House on Thursday night, U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire and commented “The U.S. is committed to working with the UN and other international stakeholders to provide rapid international assistance” to help the Palestinians working with the Palestinian Authority. Biden initially received backlash for the U.S. being the only UN Security Council member to block a joint statement on the conflict. He also was under pressure from at least 25 democratic senators, numerous domestic and international organizations who urged him to take immediate action to halt the violence in Gaza as well as demand a halt to evictions of Palestinians from their homes.
Meanwhile, the UN reported that 75,000 Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza and that nearly half of all deaths were women and children with 1,900 wounded and 232 Palestinians killed in Israel’s 11-day bombardment of Gaza. At least 16,800 residential properties were destroyed with another 1,800 properties in need of major repairs, according to the Gaza Authority. Guterres warned that the humanitarian crisis is worsening in Gaza with depletion of food, water and medicine dangerously low. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Gaza’s healthcare system was completely destroyed without any ability to handle the COVID pandemic in the region and WHO has made an urgent appeal for 7M USD in assistance for Gaza.
In order to ensure the ceasefire holds, Egypt said it will be sending its own delegation to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza to monitor the ceasefire. In a further bid to secure a lasting peace, the Biden administration said that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will be going to the Middle East to pursue a peace agreement with all regional players. The UN Human Rights Council will meet in a special session on May 27 to discuss the issue of Palestine.
