Surviving on Corpses?
With Israel launching a fresh wave of deadly airstrikes that have killed hundreds, the war in Gaza has entered another deadly terrain, with traces of truce lying in shambles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it amply clear that negotiations would continue only “under fire”. With this resolve, the far dream of permanent end to hostilities in Gaza has gone even farther. Israel’s escalation, it needs no recall, has come after a fragile truce that began in January—offering a brief pause in the spree of devastation. With Tuesday’s strikes, that moment of relative calm has disappeared, and Gaza is once again engulfed in violence.
For Netanyahu, this war is as much about politics as it is about security. He has been under immense pressure from two opposing sides—families of Israeli hostages pleading for a deal to bring their loved ones home and far-right coalition partners demanding the complete destruction of Hamas. By resuming attacks, he has aligned himself with the latter, ensuring the continued support of hardliners who want the war to continue at any cost. His decision may have saved his fragile coalition, but at what price? The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening by the day. The hospitals, already overwhelmed, are struggling to treat the wounded. The airstrikes have killed not just Hamas leaders but also hundreds of civilians, many of them children and women. The streets of Beit Lahia, Rafah, and Nuseirat are once again filled with the sound of explosions, cries for help, and the rubble of homes that once stood. It is outright baffling that precious lives are being sacrificed on the altar of politics and dominance, with not even a scant regard for individual life and dignity the 21st-century world so much talks about.
The ceasefire deal that once seemed within reach has now been thrown into uncertainty. Israel and Hamas have been at odds over the terms of the agreement, with Israel wanting to extend the first phase while Hamas insists on moving forward with the second phase, which includes a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging the peace process, while Israel, on the other hand, claims that Hamas refused to release hostages, making negotiations impossible. The United States, which had helped broker the ceasefire, has backed Israel’s decision to resume attacks. It is reported that President Donald Trump’s administration was consulted before the strikes, and officials have placed the blame squarely on Hamas for not agreeing to new terms. Meanwhile, Hamas has threatened that the Israeli strikes are a death sentence for the remaining hostages.
Netanyahu’s gamble to prolong the war may serve his political survival, but it comes at the massive expense of thousands of lives. His refusal to genuinely commit to peace negotiations keeps both Israelis and Palestinians trapped in a cycle of bloodshed. The longer this war drags on, the more innocent people will suffer—families will be ripped apart, homes destroyed, and futures stolen. The question now is whether the world will continue to watch in silence as Gaza burns once again, or if there will be a real effort to stop this endless war before even more lives are lost recklessly.
