The more things change, the more they remain the same. This would be probably true of the Gordian knot that is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has brought the interplay of global powers right into the battle-ravaged West Asian geography.
Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants ran amuck in southern Israel, to the ceasefire that was inked this January 15, 45,936 Palestinians were killed as against 1,200 Israelis (till January 8, according to UN figures). The unofficial figures are of course much more, as bodies of Palestinians continue to be recovered from the rubble.
But most agree that peace is uncertain at best. Talmiz Ahmad, strategic thinker and former Indian diplomat who has served in a number of West Asian countries, told THE WEEK: "This is a temporary truce. It only brings to an end a bloody 15-month-long conflict. Because of pressure from the Trump administration in the US, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally obliged to end the military campaign. Netanyahu had no such intentions whatsoever."
There were other reasons, too. "It (the ceasefire pact) came in handy as the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is overstretched with operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, with the risk of another big operation in Iran," said Kalarickal Pranchu Fabian, a former Indian diplomat who has served in Iran and Qatar among other countries. "Reserves are going down, and the young men and women in the military are exhausted. Netanyahu had to settle on a ceasefire with Hamas, whom he had vowed to annihilate. All told, it is highly likely that the deal will collapse after the living hostages are released."
Esta historia es de la edición February 09, 2025 de THE WEEK India.
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Esta historia es de la edición February 09, 2025 de THE WEEK India.
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