Daily Trust Editorial for Tuesday March 25, 2025
In all intent, Israel is determined to annihilate every Palestinian in Gaza but the rest of the world, which appears helpless, must wake up from slumber and confront Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to stop the killing of innocent souls.
After some weeks of fragile cease-fire deal, Israeli’s warplanes, directed by the blood-thirsty leadership, on Tuesday, March 18, bombarded cities up and down the Gaza Strip, and within hours, over 400 people, mostly women and children were deliberately killed using the false claim of trailing Hamas fighters.
The United Nations Children’s Fund said among those killed were 130 children, and reported that some of the airstrikes hit shelters where families were sleeping.
Since then, the killing spree by Israel continued unabated as the Gaza health ministry said at least 91 people – including a new-born baby—were killed in the attacks that took place overnight and early on Thursday, March 20, 2025 in the south and north of the Gaza Strip.
Conversely, Hamas said that it fired several M90 rockets targeting Israel’s commercial hub of Tel Aviv in response to what it called “massacres against civilians” in Gaza.
Evidently, the resumption of ground operations in central Gaza, which led to the taking over of the Netzarim Corridor, has once again blocked access to basic privileges of existence by Palestinians as northern Gaza has been severed from the rest of the enclave.
Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou said the group remains committed to the original ceasefire framework signed in January.
But on the other hand, and rather unfortunately, Netanyahu boastfully said the renewed bombing of Gaza was “only the beginning” and that Israel would press ahead until it achieves all of its war aims, including destroying Hamas.
But the truth is that before killing one Hamas fighter, dozens of innocent and harmless Palestinian people are being killed, not by accidental discharge but by deliberate planning and execution. This points to the fact that what Israel wants to achieve is total annihilation of the people.
Obviously, the recent development has once again brought to the forefront the devastating impact of military aggression on innocent civilians.
The international community cannot remain silent in the face of such aggression. Global leaders and institutions must take decisive action to hold Israel accountable for actions that contravene international law and basic human rights.
The United States, in particular, bears a significant responsibility in this context. The unconditional support extended to Israel has, in many ways, emboldened its aggressive policies.
President Trump’s policies in the Middle East have been a subject of intense debate. His administration’s decisions, including the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, have been perceived as one-sided and have further inflamed tensions in the region.
A report by the Associated Press on March 14, 2025, indicated that the US and Israel have “reached out to officials of three East African governments to discuss using their territories as potential destinations for moving Palestinians uprooted from the Gaza Strip under President Donald Trump’s proposed post-war plan.”
This is unthinkable and such contemplations are undermining the prospects for peace. People of conscience around the world view this as tacit approval of Israel’s aggressive tactics. It is crucial for current and future US administrations to reassess these policies to foster a more equitable and peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Arab nations, too, must rise to the occasion, including deciding on potential energy supply boycott to the US and its allies to force them to do the needful.
However, while the focus is often on Israel’s actions, it is also essential to address the role of Hamas in this protracted conflict, as its tactics, including rocket attacks into Israeli territory, have not only failed to achieve meaningful progress but have also resulted in severe repercussions for the Palestinian population.
Beyond these measures, the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are deep and complex, dating back over a century and those working for peace in the region must take note of the important facts, which is the only way to understand that Palestinians are not looking for a favour but the enforcement of their rights.
The early 20th century saw the rise of both Jewish and Arab nationalism in the region of Palestine, then under Ottoman and subsequently British rule. The aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust intensified the demand for a Jewish homeland, leading to the United Nations’ 1947 partition plan, which proposed separate Jewish and Arab states. This plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the establishment of the state of Israel.
In light of the enduring conflict and the recent tragic events, it is evident that a sustainable and just solution is imperative. The two-state solution, envisioning an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, remains the most viable path to peace.
For this solution to materialise, several critical steps must be undertaken, including an immediate ceasefire, international mediation by neutral actors, addressing core issues like borders, the status of Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and security arrangements.
The time to act is now.
