The last two years have brought unprecedented horrors in Israel-Palestine: first, the gruesome Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israelis led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, then Israel’s sweeping and U.S.-enabled devastation of the Gaza Strip. Daily reports of deaths and apparent war crimes have been so overwhelming as to sometimes obscure the reality that the continued conflict and tragedy are a result of choices by individuals — often, choices at the White House.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced the beginnings of a U.S.-brokered peace deal, under which Israel and Hamas will begin freeing Israeli hostages kidnapped on Oct. 7 and detained Palestinians, while Israel will halt its attacks on Gaza. The two parties signed the agreement on Thursday. Hamas is expected to soon release 20 surviving hostages as the Israel Defense Forces withdraw from much of Gaza; celebrations among exhausted victims of the war and others have already begun.
But now, the chance of continued peace depends on bigger and more complex decisions by Trump that there is no guarantee he will pursue. Six months ago, Israel broke the last ceasefire he brokered, escalating the killing of Palestinians and initiating a man-made famine without consequences from the U.S. and with heavy American support.
What the two sides have accepted is the first step of a larger proposition. Beyond releasing captives, the president’s plan envisions beginning the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory, with Israeli operations ending, Hamas disarming and Gaza receiving humanitarian aid at a level it has not seen for months. The vision is widely understood as prioritizing a political win for Trump, but he argued on Truth Social on Wednesday that it benefits all involved: “All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT day.”
TVNL Comment: This is worth a read to the very end. It exposes Biden's role in supporting the carnage that took so many lives.
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