DaysofPal – A British newspaper has warned that what is being framed as a “peace agreement” in Gaza amounts to little more than the ethnic cleansing of the territory, as Israeli bombardment continues and humanitarian conditions show no real signs of improvement.
According to The Observer, citing a translation published by the Safa News Agency, the Israeli occupation continues to carry out regular military attacks across Gaza. Meanwhile, humanitarian aid remains severely lacking—despite claims from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting otherwise.
Ongoing Devastation Despite Ceasefire
Steve Bloomfield, the paper’s international affairs editor, described how Storm Bayron brought powerful winds and heavy rain to Gaza in the weeks following the ceasefire, flooding destroyed homes and sweeping away fragile tents where displaced families were seeking shelter.
“In almost any other part of the world—say, Israel—there would have been no loss of life,” Bloomfield wrote.
“But Gaza is different. After two years of relentless bombardment, nearly every building has been reduced to rubble.”
Bloomfield reported several deaths caused not by war, but by exposure and collapsing shelters:
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Two children died from cold.
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One infant perished after rainwater flooded a tent.
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Two more died when a wall collapsed onto a cluster of tents.
No Real Peace, Just Return of Captives
Bloomfield stressed that, beyond the return of Israeli captives and the release of some Palestinian detainees, nothing substantial has changed since the ceasefire agreement was reached nine weeks ago.
“Israel continues to strike targets in Gaza,” he noted, adding that the official death toll earlier this month surpassed 70,000.
He pointed out that Israel has never fulfilled its promise to allow 600 aid trucks into Gaza daily. While some UN and commercial trucks have been allowed entry, the numbers are nowhere near sufficient.
Illusion of Political Progress
Bloomfield further critiqued the so-called “Peace Council” announced by Trump, saying it has never materialized. The technocratic Palestinian committee meant to operate under it remains inactive—despite the fact that Israel was granted veto power over its members and barred anyone linked to the Palestinian Authority.
The international stabilization force proposed in the agreement is similarly vague. Israel insists it should disarm Hamas, but potential contributing regional states insist their role would be strictly limited to peacekeeping and monitoring.
“They are not going there to act as an extension of the Israeli army,” said Amjad Iraqi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
Trump’s “Mission Accomplished” Moment
Iraqi compared the situation to George W. Bush’s infamous “Mission Accomplished” moment. He mocked the fanfare with which leaders like Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Friedrich Merz gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh, declaring “Peace 2025,” despite lacking any viable long-term plan.
He noted that while those leaders have acknowledged the need for a new strategy in Ukraine, no such alternative has been offered for Gaza. Instead, they have endorsed Trump’s hollow framework and rejected all calls for revision.
Worse still, the same two figures behind Trump’s Gaza proposal—Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—are also managing the Ukraine file. Iraqi warned that this small team has sidelined institutions like the U.S. State Department entirely.
He also expressed concern over Israel’s reinforcement of the so-called “yellow line” on the Gaza map—a de facto partition that would leave Israel in control of more than half the Strip.
“The real fear now is that Gaza will remain trapped in this hell—where people are left just barely able to survive,” Iraqi said.
A Final Warning
Bloomfield concluded with a powerful message:
“There are still two million Palestinians in Gaza. If they are to have any hope for the future, their fate must not be left in the hands of a distracted American president who believes his job here is already done.”
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