NEW VICTIMS

The Gaza Strip has once again been consumed by relentless warfare. Israel’s resumption of ground and air operations shattered a truce that had held for two months between Israel and the radical Palestinian movement Hamas.

Collapse of the Truce

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which came into force on January 19 and was intended to last 42 days, expired on March 1. By that point, the terms of the second phase were supposed to have been agreed upon. However, this did not happen, and the conflict reignited with renewed intensity.

The first phase stipulated the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, Israel was to withdraw troops from densely populated areas of Gaza and unblock international humanitarian aid destined for the enclave’s civilians. During this phase, Hamas released 25 hostages and the bodies of eight deceased individuals to Israel. In return, approximately 1,800 convicted Palestinians were freed from Israeli prisons.

Israel set the complete demilitarisation of Gaza and the return of all remaining hostages as conditions for moving to the second phase of the truce. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, 58 are still believed to be held in Gaza. According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), only 24 of them remain alive. Hamas, meanwhile, demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an end to the blockade. Negotiations failed to reconcile these opposing demands.

As an interim solution, US Special Envoy for the Middle East Stephen Whitcoff proposed extending the first phase of the truce until mid-April. This would have allowed both sides to continue talks and observe the holy Muslim month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover peacefully. However, this initiative also proved unsuccessful.

Israel, which had threatened to resume military action if no agreement was reached, demanded the immediate return of all remaining hostages—both living and dead. Hamas, however, stated it was only willing to release one hostage (a dual Israeli-US citizen) and four bodies. This prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that Hamas’s intransigence left force as the only viable means of securing the hostages’ return. The resumption of military operations—originally proclaimed as a campaign to eradicate Hamas entirely—became inevitable. Even during the first phase of the truce, the prospect of a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza had seemed illusory.

Netzarim, the Blockade, and "Emigration Administration"

Israel regularly reports strikes on Hamas facilities, infrastructure, and suspected locations of the group’s leaders and commanders. One key objective of the IDF’s operation is the re-establishment of the so-called Netzarim Corridor, which divides the enclave into northern and southern sections. Israeli forces withdrew from this corridor in February as part of the ceasefire agreement but are now reasserting control over it. This not only allows Israel to create a buffer zone between the north and south of Gaza but also to consolidate its hold over the central part of the Strip. Simultaneously, the IDF is conducting strikes in both northern and southern Gaza.

Meanwhile, influential international media outlets report that Israel is preparing for a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza. According to The Wall Street Journal, citing sources within the Israeli government, the plan involves "seizing key areas of Gaza to isolate Hamas and deprive it of resources." The British Financial Times adds that Israel’s strategy includes both a prolonged occupation of the besieged enclave and the forced relocation of over two million Palestinians to a "humanitarian zone" along the Mediterranean coast.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz appeared to confirm these reports, addressing Gaza’s residents with the statement: "The Israel Defence Forces will soon operate with full force in additional areas of Gaza, and you will be required to evacuate from combat zones for your own safety. The plans have already been prepared and approved."

Reports have also emerged of the Israeli government establishing a special "administration for the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from Gaza." This raises the question: is Israel genuinely motivated by concerns for the safety of Gaza’s civilian population? Particularly when considering the staggering casualty figures from the past year and a half of Israeli military operations in the Strip. Palestinian deaths exceed 50,000, with 113,000 wounded. In just the few days since the truce collapsed, around 700 Palestinians—mostly women, children, and the elderly—have been killed in Israeli strikes. Thousands of civilians are now subjected to relentless bombardment with no chance of escape, while countless families remain trapped in ruins, cut off from water, food, and medicine.

It is evident that Israel’s renewed military campaign in Gaza is driven by strategic objectives: the elimination of Hamas and the establishment of Israeli control over the entire territory (with no regard for any future Palestinian governance). Israel’s confidence in achieving these goals appears bolstered by the stance of Donald Trump, now back in the White House. Indeed, Israel’s defence ministry has officially stated that the government is working to implement the US president’s plan for the "resettlement" of Palestinians from Gaza. Israeli authorities have also confirmed full coordination with the US administration regarding the resumption of hostilities—a fact reiterated by White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, who affirmed Trump’s "full support" for Israel’s renewed air and ground operations in Gaza.

Trump’s Idea and Netanyahu’s Fate

As early as February—during the Gaza ceasefire — Donald Trump announced the US’s readiness to take control of the devastated Gaza Strip and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East." However, he added, "It would be better for the Palestinians to relocate to new settlements in neighbouring countries like Egypt and Jordan." He went further, stating, "The Palestinians have no choice but to leave Gaza."

These remarks were made during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised Trump’s "idea worth exploring" and remarked, "I think this could change history."

Given Israel’s subsequent termination of the truce and the creation of a "voluntary emigration administration," these developments seem to be the first fruits of Trump’s "noteworthy idea." The Israeli government appears to interpret it as a green light for a long-held ambition: a Gaza devoid of Palestinians.

Egypt and Jordan, however, have expressed clear opposition to Trump’s expectation that they absorb Gaza’s population. The broader Arab world, too, rejects what has effectively become a joint US-Israeli project, insisting instead that Middle East peace hinges on the creation of a Palestinian state — with Gaza as an inseparable part.

For decades, the US itself had traditionally supported a two-state solution, balancing its unwavering defence of Israel with advocacy for Palestinian statehood. Under Trump’s overtly pro-Israel stance, continued US backing for this formula is now in serious doubt. Instead, speculation has arisen about a potential link between Trump’s "resettlement" agenda and his personal rapport with Netanyahu.

Analyses, including by Israeli experts, suggest Netanyahu’s domestic popularity is waning. Some speculate that he has no incentive to end the war, as peace could fracture his coalition and expose him to corruption charges. Thus, Trump’s recent statements and actions may also be aimed at salvaging Netanyahu’s political survival — mirroring the motivation behind Trump’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister over alleged crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, another pressing question is Netanyahu’s calculus regarding the hostages. How does he expect to secure their return by pursuing a "total victory" over Hamas? Families of the hostages have demanded guarantees for their loved ones’ safety and clarity on how the government plans to recover them amid ongoing warfare. Hamas, in turn, blames Israeli leaders for endangering the remaining hostages by breaking the ceasefire.

This is just one of the agonising dimensions of a conflict that has taken on a perpetual nature—one whose history shows no limits in its toll on civilian lives.