The Washington Post has reported that American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Israel this week with a message urging its leaders to "ease the misery in Gaza and plan for its future." It stressed that President Joe Biden, through his rhetorical and material support for Israel, seeks to influence its leaders to look beyond their anger and desire to eliminate "terrorists" in Gaza and to move towards vital humanitarian aid.
According to the report, the measures sought by the Americans include reducing civilian casualties, improving the conditions of displaced Palestinians, and planning for a post-war system that provides dignity to both Israelis and Palestinians by laying the groundwork for a Palestinian state not dominated by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The newspaper detailed Gaza's dire state after Israel's bombardment with tens of thousands of bombs and shells, resulting in over 23,000 Gazan casualties and the displacement of 85% of its population. Approximately 70% of houses, half of the buildings and roads were destroyed, including hospitals, schools, and the rest of the infrastructure.
Despite the devastation, the Washington Post indicates that the extent to which Israel's military offensive has been effective in disrupting Hamas's activities remains unclear, although Israeli officials claim to have dismantled the group's military capabilities in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israeli officials state they are reducing combat, though military operations are fierce in central and southern Gaza, where Palestinians have fled. At the same time, Hamas still holds over 100 Israelis, and their release, along with ending Hamas's rule in Gaza, is a precondition for any realistic ceasefire, according to the report.
American pressure has led Israel to allow aid to pass through its borders with Gaza and through the southern border with Egypt. However, there remains an urgent need to prioritize the entry of more aid trucks and to ensure the safety of aid workers within Gaza following instances of aid truck raids while traversing the enclave.
While these measures are short-term, The Washington Post views that, in the long term, Gaza requires reconstruction on a material level, but also politically and socially. Hence, Israel must realize that no reasonable and long-term settlement with the Palestinians is feasible without the establishment of a Palestinian state, following the failure of all alternative methods from direct occupation and siege to various forms of limited Palestinian self-government.
The newspaper concludes by emphasizing that President Biden, Israel, Arab states, and all other relevant actors must strive to offer the people of Gaza hope for something better than the destruction they have faced, as despair naturally leads to bleak outcomes.
