The Illusion of Peace and Ongoing Violence
A cease-fire plan implemented in October 2025 ostensibly ended hostilities in Gaza and secured the release of the last remaining Israeli hostages, according to a report by Foreign Affairs. However, the agreement has failed to bring true stability, as Israel continues to strike targets within the territory. This ongoing military activity stands in stark contrast to the diplomatic promises made at the time of the truce.
The human cost of this continued instability remains high. Over the past year following the cease-fire, approximately 300 civilians, including children, have been killed in Gaza. The vast majority of Gaza’s inhabitants remain displaced in tent cities along a shrinking strip of coastline, facing disease, rodent infestations, and extreme shortages of food, medicine, clean water, and sanitation.
Nikolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat serving as high representative of Trump’s Board of Peace, stated that progress is stalled regarding Israel's commitments to the peace plan. Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and point person for the Middle East, blamed Israel’s upcoming elections for making the Netanyahu government "a little irrational" regarding Gaza.
Scale of Destruction and Alleged Strategic Intent
The conditions in Gaza reflect the scale of destruction that preceded the cease-fire. Israeli military and political leaders had previously vowed to "flatten" Gaza and turn it into a "city of tents." During the assault, Israel dropped 223,000 tons of explosives on Gaza, equivalent to roughly 15 times the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of them civilians. The assault wiped out 92 percent of Gaza’s housing stock, 95 percent of its farmland, all 12 of its universities, and nearly half of its 36 hospitals.
The article alleges that the Netanyahu government’s strategy aims to render Gaza uninhabitable and eject its population rather than stabilize the territory or disarm Hamas. Hamas carried out an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which initiated the conflict.
Political Stalls and International Scrutiny
Kushner promised in January that restoration of core services and infrastructure would begin within 100 days. Nine months later, no reconstruction or restoration has occurred. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently engaged in a tight reelection campaign.
Israel is currently on trial for genocide at the International Court of Justice regarding its assault on Gaza.