Gaza truce extension ups pressure against 'Israel': NYT
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The extension of the truce has raised speculation about the future of the war on Gaza and the possibility of a more permanent resolution.
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A Palestinian man works on the rubble of destroyed buildings in Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. on the fifth day of the temporary ceasefire between the resistance and "Israel". (AP/Mohammed Hajjar)
An op-ed written for the New York Times on Tuesday details that the extension of the truce from four days to six is causing doubt over whether the Israeli occupation would resume its hostilities in Gaza or if it would stop its onslaught dead in its tracks.
The extension of the ceasefire has also prompted expectations that both the Israeli occupation and the Resistance may consider further short-term renewals.
Read more: IOF fired 100,000+ artillery shells on Gaza since October 7
As the duration of the ceasefire grows, external pressure on "Israel" to make it permanent intensifies, while internal pressures urge for its conclusion.
Despite that "Israel" violated the truce agreement, neither party signaled an intent to withdraw from it. A group of 12 captives was released on the same day, contributing to the ongoing negotiations.
A truce does not mean a complete cessation of hostilities, at least not for the Israeli occupation forces. Israeli forces targeted a group of civilians on the first day of the humanitarian ceasefire as they attempted to return from the southern to the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in the martyrdom of two and the injury of others.
In a press release, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that Israeli occupation forces attacked two farmers who were working on their land east of the al-Maghazi camp. This incident led to the martyrdom of one farmer and the injury of the other.
On the third day of the temporary ceasefire, seven Palestinians were injured by Israeli occupation forces' gunfire in the vicinity of the al-Quds Hospital in Tel al-Hawa, west of Gaza City, and the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip.
Numerous violations, according to Hamas top official Osama Hamdan, came in the form of the Israeli occupation going against stipulations regarding the truce, the prisoner swap, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
For Gaza, the pause facilitates aid deliveries from Egypt to the 2.2 million residents of Gaza, many of whom face displacement and severe shortages due to the Israeli blockade and aggression.
"Israel," on the other hand, benefits from the ceasefire extension as it welcomes back more of the approximately 240 Israeli captives, a prisoner swap that has garnered significant public support among Israelis.
Read more: Israeli occupation forces violated terms of the Gaza truce again
However, the longer this dynamic persists, the more complex "Israel's" position becomes: daily prisoner releases boost Hamas' popularity in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, potentially impeding "Israel's" unrealistic goal of "annihilating" the Resistance movement.
Analysts suggest that domestic pressures may prompt Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume the genocide sooner rather than later. A delayed resumption could lead to tensions with far-right government ministers who supported the ceasefire with the understanding that the invasion would resume shortly.
As the uncertainty looms, the delicate balance between short-term gains and long-term strategic considerations remains at the forefront of the war.
