Editorial: Prolonged war benefits none

As guns fall silent in Gaza, a concerted effort is needed to rebuild trust and ensure lasting peace

As the peace initiative in Gaza, one of the most protracted armed conflicts in the world, comes into effect, a bigger responsibility lies on the shoulders of the nations that brokered the peace between Israel and Hamas. For nearly two decades, Gaza has witnessed an intense human tragedy through repeated cycles of conflict, the worst being the Hamas pulling off a major attack on Israel, killing over a thousand people and taking hundreds hostage, on October 7, 2023. The instant response from Israel has been stupendous, and the relentless air strikes and attacks by ground forces have almost reduced Gaza to rubble. The huge loss of life and decimation of infrastructure forced not just the neighbouring countries, but also the world’s superpower, the United States, to push for a peace initiative. President Donald Trump took a firm stand on the peace process and ‘convinced’ both Israel and Hamas to concede to a truce. Of course, it was not just the US; other countries such as Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates played their part in achieving what was believed to be an insurmountable task of bringing peace to the embattled region. Whether it was for the tenacity of the neighbouring countries or the quirky assertions of Trump, both sides agreed on the truce initiative, which comprises: an immediate ceasefire; hostage and prisoners exchange, withdrawal of Israeli forces, demilitarisation, and deployment of an international stabilisation force to ensure peaceful transition, reconstruction, and aid.

But the challenge ahead is akin to walking on eggshells. There is no gainsaying about the trust deficit between Israel and Hamas; the initiative is highly fragile, and any violation could instantly lead to reprisal attacks. The fragility is somewhat accentuated by the vagueness in defining ‘demilitarisation’ of Gaza. How is ‘demilitarisation’ defined, and who would monitor it – a question that remains unanswered in specific terms. Even if demilitarisation takes place after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, a greater risk arises as the security vacuum could be filled by armed militias or rival extremists. Besides, a possibility that could shatter the peace accord is whether the current initiative paves the way for Palestinian statehood, which Israel, undoubtedly, will oppose. Another challenge is mobilising funds to rebuild the infrastructure in Gaza, where the devastation is massive. The peace plan, no doubt, has stopped the bloodshed, but the path ahead is fraught with dangers. A concerted effort is required to help both sides overcome the mistrust. Trump’s push is certainly a welcome move, but it remains to be seen whether the US President will maintain the same level of interest. Both sides ought to remind themselves of what Sun Tzu, the Chinese military strategist, said some 25 centuries ago: “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from a prolonged warfare”.

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