A glimmer of relief that is bitterly overdue

 JEFFREY ST. CLAIR

The news that a ceasefire deal has been reached will bring some glimmer of relief to Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocide. But it is bitterly overdue.

For Palestinians, who have endured more than 15 months of devastating and relentless bombardment, have been displaced from their homes repeatedly, and are struggling to survive in makeshift tents without food, water and basic supplies, the nightmare will not be over even if the bombs cease.

For Palestinians who have lost countless loved ones, in many cases, had their entire families wiped out or seen their homes reduced to rubble, an end to the fighting does not begin to repair their shattered lives or heal their trauma.

The release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees will bring relief to families in Israel and across the Occupied Palestinian Territory but likewise will not erase the ordeals they have suffered in captivity.

There is no time to waste. Israel’s continuous and deliberate denial and obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza has left civilians facing unprecedented levels of hunger and children have starved to death. The international community, which has thus far shamefully failed to persuade Israel to comply with its legal obligations, must ensure Israel immediately allows lifesaving supplies to urgently reach all parts of the occupied Gaza Strip to ensure the survival of the Palestinian population. This includes guaranteeing the entry of vital medical supplies to treat the wounded and sick and facilitating urgent repairs to medical facilities and other vital infrastructure. Unless Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza is promptly lifted, this suffering will only continue. They must also urgently grant access to independent human rights monitors into Gaza to uncover evidence and reveal the extent of violations.

For Palestinians who have lost so much, there is little to celebrate when there is no guarantee that they will get justice and reparation for the horrifying crimes they have suffered.

Unless the root causes of this conflict are addressed, Palestinians and Israelis cannot even begin to hope for a brighter future built on rights, equality and justice. Israel must dismantle the brutal system of apartheid it imposes to dominate and oppress Palestinians and end its unlawful occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory once and for all. Third states have a crucial role to play to bring an end to Israel’s impunity and restore some faith in the rule of law.