WASHINGTON, D.C. – Images of Palestinian children killed in the Israeli bombing have returned to the news after a brief reprieve that lasted only a few weeks.
Almost two months after President Donald Trump took office, the region is once again at war, as the ceasefire that stopped Israel’s war in Gaza was shattered.
It comes despite Trump’s own pledge to pursue peace in the Middle East and around the world.
Trump praised the truce earlier this year, but he now supports a new Israeli attack in a conflict he once promised to end.
Analysts say they were more interested in generating headlines about helping Trump (an Israeli supporter) secure a ceasefire than actually ending the war. He also raised plans to ethnic cleanse Gaza by eliminating residents to make way for Riviera-style resorts.
“Immediately after he took office, we could see evidence of dishonesty in Trump’s ceasefire. He began permanently calling for the forced displacement of all Palestinians from Gaza and the cleansing of ethnic groups.”
“So it’s not surprising to see the Trump administration light up greenery at the resumption of Israel’s massive violence against Palestinians in Gaza.”
Early signs
In the weeks leading up to the latest artillery fire, there were indications that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had never intended to fully respect the ceasefire. And Trump isn’t invested in supporting the deal either.
In early February, Trump said in Gaza there was “no guarantee that peace will be maintained.”
Even before the ceasefire took effect in January, Netanyahu argued that the deal was “temporary” and that Joe Biden and Trump, who were on his final days of his presidency, gave “their full support for the right to return to the battle of Israel.”
Furthermore, Israel has repeatedly violated Palestinians almost every day, blocking mobile homes from entering unsafe territory with many buildings leveling or blocking mobile homes.
Then, on March 2, Israel imposed a complete humanitarian blockade for Gaza.
The ceasefire contract was to include three phases. In the first phase, which expired in early March, around 30 Israeli prisoners and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners were released as guns silenced.
However, Israel did not agree to move to the second phase of the deal, which would bring about a permanent end to the war. The third stage would have ultimately focused on reconstruction on the territory.
Instead, Netanyahu and the Trump administration insisted on extending the first part of the ceasefire deal. However, Palestinian group Hamas was clear about its position. No new initiatives are needed as there are internationally supported agreements that all parties have already agreed to.
“It served that purpose” for Trump.
Loubner said Trump wanted a temporary ceasefire to free more Israeli prisoners without committing Israel to end the war.
In a joint appearance with Netanyahu in February, Trump also expressed his desire for the US to “own” Gaza and turn it into a “Middle Eastern Riviera.”
But since Trump’s proposal was filled with overwhelming international rejection, the US president has allowed Israel to “resumes this horrifying scale of violence” against Palestinians, Lubner said.
In the days since Israel renewed its attack on Gaza, hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including children, were killed with the support of the US president, who had promised to leave the legacy of “peacemakers” in their inauguration speech.
Anel Shelin, a researcher at the Quincy National Institute of Responsibility, said he was surprised the armistice lasted several weeks after “serving that purpose” for Trump.
“Trump’s motivation for pushing for a ceasefire is to show that Biden can achieve what he couldn’t do and did so before he rejoined the White House,” Shelin said.
“At the time the ceasefire was enacted there was a lot of skepticism that we would reach Phase 2, as it involves negotiations on a more permanent halt of hostility that Israel and Netanyahu had no interest in agreeing to.”
The Centre for International Policy (CIP), a US-based think tank, said Trump is “substantially responsible” for the collapse of the ceasefire.
“Trump’s team was early in helping former President Joe Biden manage his hostage release and ceasefire negotiations, but he later made this massive mistake in his own diplomacy through a series of brave mistakes.”
“Showman”
Williams cited Trump’s “indecent proposal” to drive Palestinians out of Gaza, citing a push to rewrite the ceasefire contract as the president’s decision to support Netanyahu and become “the perfect partner in this bloody life.”
Despite civilian deaths, the Trump administration has expressed unqualified support for military campaigns in Israel and Gaza.
Yl Al-Sheikh, a democratic socialist Palestinian writer and organizer in America, described Trump as a “showman” who wanted “big things” to boast about.
However, Al Sheikh emphasized that the US president failed to end the war forever and let Hamas release the remaining prisoners of war.
“So he just wants to slap someone,” Al Sheikh said. The Palestinians added that they were “natural targets.”
So, what happens next?
Analysts fear Israel’s attacks will intensify, leading to more deaths and destruction in a campaign that major rights groups and UN experts have already described as genocide.
“Trump and Netanyahu are in line with their desire to remove Palestinians from Gaza.
Al Sheikh also predicts that violence will continue. “I’m going to go to this merry-go-round until Netanyahu can’t keep the government together or Trump gets bored of it.”
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