AS Israel continues to mercilessly pound Gaza, the US pushes the fiction that a ceasefire is close in the besieged territory. Moreover, Washington’s claim that Hamas is placing obstacles in the way of a lasting truce is far from genuine. In fact, it is America’s friends in Tel Aviv who continue to shift the goalposts and refuse to commit to a meaningful cessation of hostilities. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in the Middle East, shuttling between Israel, Egypt and Qatar in a desperate bid to clinch a deal. For the Biden administration, time is of the essence, as the election fast approaches in November. The Democrats may not be comfortable with the continuing Gaza slaughter when Americans cast their votes. As Mr Blinken has noted, this may be the “last opportunity” to reach a ceasefire deal. Unfortunately, the US has been unable to convince Israel to stop the massacre and honour a long-term truce. Hamas says it is willing to implement the Biden plan proposed in May, which means a permanent end to the genocidal violence in Gaza. Israel wants to reoccupy the coastal strip, with one Israeli minister vowing to fight till “complete victory”, which presumably means the annihilation of Gaza’s Palestinian population. Therefore, Mr Biden’s claim that Hamas is “backing away” from the deal is not an accurate portrayal of the actual situation.

What if the ceasefire talks fail, as they are likely to? The bloodbath in Gaza will continue, adding to the horrific death toll that has already crossed 40,000. Moreover, the territory has reported its first polio case, indicating that the health infrastructure has collapsed. And the longer the conflict drags on, the greater the chances of a larger regional conflagration, as Israel continues to provoke its adversaries, primarily Iran and its allied armed groups. The fact is that the US is not an honest interlocutor in these talks; American officials act to protect Israeli interests first, rather than working to reach a just ceasefire deal. Therefore, perhaps the UN should take the lead in peacemaking, though Israel is known to dismiss the calls of the multilateral body, and the US is always ready to veto resolutions critical of Israel in the Security Council. Unless tangible steps are taken to muzzle Israel, a ceasefire will remain an illusion.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2024