From “The Economist”.
The bloodshed in Gaza is set to rage through Ramadan (economist.com)
“For weeks America has bet that a temporary ceasefire in Gaza could be agreed. The implicit deadline was Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Now Ramadan is starting—and there is no sign of a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. As a result the Gaza war is entering an unpredictable new phase. The level of violence could subside, but there are scenarios in which it might flare up and expand to the West Bank and the wider region. Of particular note are three potential flashpoints: the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem; the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and whether Israel extends its campaign to Rafah, Hamas’s last major enclave in the strip’s south.
The ceasefire talks appear to have gone nowhere despite multiple rounds of discussions and American pressure. Perhaps three-quarters of Hamas’s fighting capability has been damaged. But the rump of its forces, led by Yahya Sinwar, who is probably holed up in southern Gaza, are reported to be holding out for maximalist demands. In return for a staggered release of Israeli hostages, they are said to be seeking a permanent cessation of fighting in Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces (idf) and potentially a complete exit by it from the enclave, among other things. For Israel and probably America too, that is a non-starter.”
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But why there are too many talks but no actual movement to a cease fire?
The reasons are too complicated to explain, even if ever understood.
The only explanation possible is that the Israeli prime minister have offered a cease fire under conditions. This implies in the safe return of the hostages and the limited period of the hostilities.
Hamas on the other hand, demands a complete cessation of hostilities and withdrawal from Gaza, and explicit defeat of Israel, not promising the safe return of the hostages.
This is even more complicated by the fact that Hamas is not the sole operator in the Gaza Strip, there are other groups that will continue the fight against Israel and moreover, not all hostages are in the hands of Hamas, some being hostages of the Islamic Jihad.
A legitimate representative of the Palestinians must rise to represent the bulk of this people, who can´t continue being held hostage to two or more belligerent groups. The suffering of the peoples must take primacy over the