By Zhang Dan
By November 10, the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement has been in effect for a month, but sporadic clashes has persisted between Israel and Hamas, accusing each other of violating the deal. Data show that more than 200 Palestinian civilians have been killed and over 600 injured in exchanges of fire since the agreement came into force. How to advance the second phase of negotiations? How to push forward the reconstruction process in Gaza? And how to implement the "two-state solution"? These key issues remain in suspension given the current situation, posing a serious test to the region's lasting peace.
Regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza after the ceasefire, Israeli Defense Minister Katz accused Hamas of not only attacking Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip but also violating provisions on the transfer of bodies of Israeli hostages. Hamas, on the other hand, asserted that since the ceasefire deal took effect, Israel has failed to honor its commitment to reopening the Rafah border crossing, leaving Palestinians in Gaza in a dire humanitarian crisis. In particular, the Israeli forces have launched a new round of attacks targeting Gaza City, Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, causing heavy civilian casualties, including many women and children. Earlier this month, Hamas representatives visited Türkiye, where they discussed Israel's repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement since it took effect, demanding that Israel completely withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip.
The mutual accusations and ongoing military actions between Israel and Hamas have further exposed the fragility of the ceasefire agreement. From the very beginning, this precarious deal lacked a timetable for Israel's full withdrawal from Gaza. Nor did it make arrangements regarding the funding for Gaza's reconstruction, or plan a pathway for implementing the "two-state solution." The current ceasefire is largely a result of exhaustion of the conflicting parties and of pressure from external powers, rather than a fair move that accommodates the interests of all stakeholders.
Against this backdrop, seven countries, including Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, held a meeting in Istanbul on November 3 to discuss security governance in the Gaza Strip. The participants unanimously agreed to uphold the ceasefire agreement and to promote a lasting peace process based on the "two-state solution." At present, Hamas has agreed to transfer the administrative authority of Gaza to a committee composed of Palestinians and has called for the establishment of an international committee dedicated to overseeing the financing and execution of Gaza's reconstruction.
On the very same day of the seven-nation meeting, the US submitted a draft resolution to several members of the UN Security Council, proposing the establishment of an "international stabilization force" in the Gaza Strip. It claimed that this force would "stabilize local security environment by ensuring the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, including destroying and preventing the reconstruction of military, terrorist, and offensive infrastructure, and permanently disarming non-state armed groups." This means that if Hamas refuses to disarm, the "international stabilization force" could enforce its disarmament by military means. The proposal represented an extension of the so-called "20-Point Plan" put forward by the US, with the same objective of tightening its control over Middle Eastern affairs. Such actions, which place America's own interests above Palestinian sovereignty, are a key reason why the flames of war continue to burn in Gaza and why the Middle East peace process remains so difficult.
Gaza is the homeland of the Palestinian people, not a bargaining chip in geopolitical games. The essence of the Gaza issue boils down to the Palestinian people's right to survival and development. Any arrangements concerning Gaza's future must adhere to the internationally recognized principle of "Palestinians governing Palestine" and respect the will of the Palestinians themselves. Gaza is lying in ruins now, which is all the more reason why the international community must drive the implementation of the "two-state solution." Only by establishing an independent State of Palestine would it be possible to address the long-standing historical issues and create conditions for realizing lasting peace in the region.