Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Quiets One Front, But Gaza Sees No End To Misery | rssama.com

JERUSALEM (AP) — For galore crossed nan Middle East, nan Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire came arsenic a relief: nan first awesome motion of advancement successful nan region since warfare began much than a twelvemonth ago.

But for Palestinians successful Gaza and families of hostages held successful nan territory, nan news appeared only to inaugurate a newer, grimmer play of nan conflict there. For them, it marked yet different missed opportunity to extremity fighting that has stretched connected for astir 14 months.

Palestinians had hoped that immoderate ceasefire woody pinch Hezbollah would see a truce successful Gaza arsenic well. The families of group kidnapped erstwhile Hamas-led militants stormed confederate Israel successful October 2023, meanwhile, wanted portion of nan statement to see returning their loved ones. Instead, nan ceasefire was confined only to nan fighting successful Lebanon.

“We consciousness this is simply a missed opportunity to necktie successful nan hostages successful this statement that was signed today,” said Ruby Chen, whose son, Itay Chen, was taken hostage from an Israeli subject guidelines and has been declared dead.

Tents occupied by displaced Palestinians are seen astatine nan formation successful Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, connected Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024.

Abdel Kareem Hana via Associated Press

As overmuch arsenic they were intertwined, nan 2 wars person been very different. In Lebanon, Israel said its purpose was to thrust Hezbollah backmost from nan countries’ shared separator and extremity nan militant group’s barrages into bluish Israel. The ceasefire that took effect Wednesday is intended to do that.

In Gaza, Israel’s goals are much sweeping. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been resolute successful insisting that Hamas must beryllium wholly destroyed and Israel must clasp lasting power complete parts of nan territory. Months of talks person grounded to get Netanyahu to backmost down from those demands — aliases to person Hamas to merchandise hostages nether those terms.

For Palestinians successful Gaza, that intends continuing misery nether an Israeli run that has demolished overmuch of nan territory and driven almost nan full organization from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are going hungry while surviving successful squalid shelter cities arsenic nan 2nd wintertime of nan warfare brings acold rains and flooding.

”They work together to a ceasefire successful 1 spot and not successful nan other? Have mercy connected nan children, nan aged and nan women,” said Ahlam Abu Shalabi, surviving successful shelter successful cardinal Gaza. “Now it is winter, and each nan group are drowning.”

Palestinians consciousness resigned to continued war

Hundreds of Palestinians hold for their move successful beforehand of a bakery to bargain breadstuff nether harsh conditions successful Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, connected Nov. 27, 2024. Palestinians are starving owed to Israel's attacks connected Gaza for much than a year, nan closure of separator crossings and nan constricted entree to aid.

Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images

The warfare betwixt Israel and Hamas began connected Oct. 7, 2023, erstwhile militants attacked Israel from Gaza, sidesplitting astir 1,200 group and taking immoderate 250 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory violative has rained devastation connected nan Palestinian territory, sidesplitting complete 44,000 people, according to section wellness officials. The officials, who do not separate betwixt civilians and fighters successful their count, opportunity complete half of nan dormant are women and children.

Hezbollah began firing into Israel a time aft Hamas’ onslaught successful solidarity pinch nan Palestinian militant group. The 2 sides person exchanged near-daily barrages since. Moving thousands of troops to its bluish border, Israel ramped up bombardment of confederate Lebanon and launched a crushed penetration location 2 months ago, killing galore of Hezbollah’s leaders.

Palestinians now fearfulness Israel’s subject tin return its afloat attraction to Gaza — a constituent that Netanyahu made arsenic he announced nan ceasefire successful Lebanon connected Tuesday.

“The unit will beryllium much connected Gaza,” said Mamdouh Younis, a displaced man successful a cardinal Gaza shelter camp. Netanyahu, he said, tin now utilization nan truth that “Gaza has go alone, acold from each nan arenas that were supporting it, particularly nan Lebanon front.”

Israeli troops are already engaged successful fierce fighting successful Gaza’s north, wherever a two-month violative has trim disconnected astir assistance and caused experts to pass a famine whitethorn beryllium underway. Strikes each complete nan territory regularly termination dozens.

In signing onto nan ceasefire deal, Hezbollah reversed its long-held position that it wouldn’t extremity its barrages crossed nan separator unless Israel ends nan warfare successful Gaza.

“This could person a psychological impact, arsenic it will further entrench nan knowing that Palestinians successful Gaza are unsocial successful resisting against their occupiers,” said Tariq Kenney Shawa, a U.S. argumentation chap astatine Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian deliberation tank.

Hamas whitethorn excavation its heels in

Palestinian children inspect nan harm astatine nan tract of an Israeli airstrike successful cardinal Gaza's Nuseirat campy connected Nov. 27, 2024.

Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images

It besides leaves Hamas — its capabilities already severely damaged by Israel’s violative — to conflict alone. Hamas charismatic Osama Hamdan appeared to judge Hezbollah’s caller position successful an question and reply Monday.

“Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our group and made important sacrifices,” Hamdan told nan Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, which is seen arsenic politically allied pinch Hezbollah.

Khalil Sayegh, a Palestinian analyst, said nan ceasefire could make Hamas moreover little celebrated successful Gaza, by proving nan nonaccomplishment of its gambit that its onslaught connected Israel would rally different militant groups to nan fight.

“It’s a infinitesimal wherever we tin spot nan Hamas messaging go weaker and weaker, arsenic they struggle to warrant their strategy to nan public,” said Sayegh.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that nan Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire could thief unit Hamas to nan negotiating array because it would show nan group that nan “cavalry is not connected nan way.”

But Hamas experts predicted that it would only excavation successful some connected nan battlefield and successful talks. Hamas has insisted it will only merchandise each nan hostages successful return for a afloat Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

“I expect Hamas will proceed utilizing guerrilla warfare to face Israeli forces successful Gaza arsenic agelong arsenic they remain,” said Shawa.

Hostage families suffer hope

Relatives of hostages kidnapped by Hamas successful Gaza protestation during a convention of nan Knesset, Israel's parliament, successful Jerusalem, connected Monday Nov.18, 2024.

Ohad Zwigenberg via Associated Press

Dozens of Israelis thronged a awesome road successful Tel Aviv connected Tuesday night, protesting for nan return of nan hostages arsenic nan state waited to perceive if a ceasefire successful Lebanon had been agreed.

Around 100 group taken hostage are still held successful Gaza, astatine slightest a 3rd of whom are believed to beryllium dead. Most of nan different hostages seized by Hamas were released during a ceasefire past year.

Ricardo Grichener, nan uncle of 23-year-old hostage Omer Wenkert, said nan ceasefire pinch Hezbollah showed really nan Israeli authorities was openly disregarding nan hostages.

Even though Israel has inflicted greater harm connected Hamas successful Gaza than connected Hezbollah successful Lebanon, he said “the determination to postpone a woody successful Gaza and merchandise nan hostages is not based connected nan aforesaid subject occurrence criteria.”

The astir caller effort to upwind down nan warfare stalled successful October. U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he would statesman a renewed push, but his management is now successful its waning days aft nan reelection of erstwhile President Donald Trump.

“This ceasefire doesn’t interest our hostages. I judge that Netanyahu forgot astir them, and he conscionable wants to support fighting successful Gaza,” said Ifat Kalderon, clutching a photograph of her cousin, Ofer Kalderon, who is simply a hostage and a begetter to four.

“Ofer yesterday had his 54th birthday. His 2nd day successful Gaza,” she said. “It’s unbelievable that he’s still there.”

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