Description: After Israel introduced the cabinet approved plan for the complete occupation of the Gaza Strip, thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding for the war to end and the Israeli hostages to be returned. Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet approved a plan which would be realized in the upcoming period for the complete occupation of the Gaza Strip and intensification of the illegal settlements in the West Bank. Multiple international aid organizations have reported that despite aid drops from several countries, significant aid assistance is yet to enter Gaza where more than 200 people were reported to have died of famine, half of them being children. Hamas meanwhile has reportedly agreed to informally accept the latest 60 – day ceasefire proposal from the US and reengage in negotiations for a prolonged peace agreement.
Impact: Israel’s indiscriminate targeting of civilian population and the weaponization of humanitarian aid is further intensified with the announced plan for the complete occupation of the Gaza Strip. The plan arrives as a counter measure to the international initiative to support the formation of a Palestinian state and is heavily supported by the predominantly far – right government of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas’ reported acceptance of the latest ceasefire initiative is yet to be materialized after last week’s diplomatic efforts by the Egyptian and the Qatari mediators as the humanitarian disaster continues to rapidly unravel claiming thousands of human lives on a weekly basis. Despite the political pressure from the international community, Israel is unilaterally continuing to exert its wartime objectives and enforce the annexation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip towards its state borders. The peace efforts remain stalled with concrete steps expected to be undertaken in the upcoming weeks as Israel’s military offensive continues unabated.