Trump plan fuels questions among war-weary Palestinians in Gaza
Hopes are mixed, if not outright weary, about Donald Trump’s new ceasefire plan.
On paper, many Palestinians desperately want peace; they say enough to their suffering, enough to their losses, they want to see a genuine window of relief. But for many others, this plan smells like old wine in a new bottle.
They say, who crafted it? Hamas was not heavily engaged in diplomatic discussions; they only received the proposal once it was announced by the American president. And for many others, they want to see concrete steps being taken on the ground to ensure the commitment of the Israeli side to comprehensively accept every term of the agreement.
Also, there is a sense of optimism about the success of this round of discussions. But the air is filled with a sense of fear that this round might collapse as a house of cards, simply because many of the conditions favour the Israeli side.
People are still waiting for Hamas’s response. They realise that if Hamas says no, there will be more military pressure on Gaza … which means that more families will be displaced and more families will be killed.
UN humanitarian chief reiterates call for access to Gaza
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher says Trump’s Gaza plan “opens a window of opportunity” to get aid into Gaza and secure the release of Israeli captives held in the enclave.
“We are ready and eager to act,” Fletcher said in a statement, noting that the United Nations has 170,000 tonnes of food, medicine, shelter infrastructure and other supplies ready to enter the Strip from across the region.
“For our lifesaving plan to succeed, we need: open crossings; safe movement for civilians and aid workers; unrestricted entry of goods; visas for staff; the space for humanitarians to operate; and the private sector to be revived,” he said.
“This nightmare has gone on too long. Every minute of delay brings more misery. But we now have a chance to deliver. We call on all parties to agree to a ceasefire, give us the access, let us work.”
Israel has maintained a strict blockade on Gaza for months, blocking deliveries of life-saving assistance and plunging the territory into a humanitarian crisis. The world’s top hunger monitor confirmed in August that Gaza City and surrounding areas were experiencing famine.
