The Gaza ceasefire began months ago. That’s why the fight continues

Jerusalem– On Wednesday, the director of a Gaza hospital asked a question that has been echoing in the war-torn region for months as two dozen bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks arrived at the facility.

“Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?” Mohammed Abu Selmiya of Shifa Hospital wrote on Facebook.

Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of at least 556 Palestinians since the US-brokered ceasefire. The ceasefire came into effect in October, resulting in at least 556 Palestinian deaths due to Israeli attacks, including 24 on Wednesday and 30 on Saturday, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza over the same period, and more have been wounded, including one soldier who the army said was seriously wounded when militants opened fire near the ceasefire line in northern Gaza overnight.

There were hopes for further progress between Gaza and Egypt.

Other aspects of the agreement, such as the deployment of international security forces, the disarmament of Hamas, and the commencement of Gaza reconstruction, have encountered delays. Opening of Rafah border crossing There were hopes for further progress between Gaza and Egypt, but fewer than 50 people were allowed to cross on Monday.

In October, after several months of stalled negotiations, Israel and Hamas accepted a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, aimed at ending the war triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

At the time, Trump said this would lead to a “strong, durable and everlasting peace”.

Hamas freed all of its surviving hostages at the beginning of the agreement in exchange for the remains of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and others held by Israel.

But the broader issues the agreement sought to address, including the future governance of the strip, were met with objections and the US offered no firm timelines.

The return of the hostages’ remains, meanwhile, dragged on far beyond the 72-hour deadline outlined in the agreement. Israel recovered the body of the last hostage just last week, while Hamas and other terrorist groups were accused of violating the ceasefire by not returning all the bodies. The militants stated that they were unable to immediately locate all the remains due to the massive destruction caused by the war, a claim that Israel rejected.

The ceasefire also called for an immediate influx of humanitarian aid, including equipment for debris removal and rehabilitation of infrastructure. The UN and humanitarian groups say aid delivered to Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians fell short due to customs clearance problems and other delays. COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees aid to Gaza, called the UN’s claims “simply lies.”

Violence has declined sharply since the ceasefire, with more than 71,800 Palestinians killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry is part of the Hamas-led government and keeps detailed records generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts.

Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage in the initial attack in October 2023.

Both sides say the agreement is still in effect and they use the term “ceasefire” in their communications. But Israel has accused Hamas fighters of moving beyond the ceasefire line to divide Gaza in half, intimidating its troops and sometimes opening fire, while Hamas has accused Israeli forces of opening fire and attacking residential areas far from the line.

Palestinians have called on US and Arab mediators to force Israel to end deadly attacks, which often kill civilians. Five children, including two infants, were among those killed on Wednesday. Hamas, which accused Israel of hundreds of violations, called it a “serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

In a joint statement on Sunday, eight Arab and Muslim countries condemned Israel’s actions since the agreement took effect, and they urged all parties to exercise restraint “to preserve and maintain the ceasefire.”

Israel says it is responding to daily violations by Hamas and acting to protect its troops. “Although Hamas’s actions undermine the ceasefire, Israel remains fully committed to maintaining it,” the army said in a statement on Wednesday.

“One of the scenarios that (the military) has to be prepared for is that Hamas is using deception tactics as they did before October 7 and regrouping and preparing to attack when it is convenient for them,” military spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said.

The return of the remains of the last hostage, the limited opening and naming of the Rafah crossing, and a Palestinian committee showed willingness to pursue an agreement despite violence to govern Gaza and oversee its reconstruction.

Last month, US envoy Steve Witkoff, who played a key role in the ceasefire, said it was time to “transition from a ceasefire to demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction.”

This would require Israel and Hamas to grapple with key issues on which they are deeply divided, including whether Israel would completely withdraw from Gaza and Hamas would lay down its arms.

Although political leaders are sticking to the word “ceasefire” and have not yet backed down from the process, frustration is growing in Gaza.

On Saturday, Atallah Abu Hadayid heard explosions in Gaza City during his morning prayers and ran outside to find his cousins ​​lying on the ground with flames spreading around them.

“We don’t know whether we are at war or at peace,” he said from a displacement camp, as strips of tarpaulin flew from the tent behind him.

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Associated Press reporter Wafa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.