The people of Gaza had a sigh of relief and hope after talks held in Doha over the past few days finally led to a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. The State of Qatar has played the role of an honest mediator along with the United States and Egypt to bring the bloodshed to an end. Qatar has been working hard to bring the war to an end since its outbreak on October 7, 2023. It remained steadfast in its endeavours over the past fifteen months despite the efforts hitting obstacles on occasions. Qatari efforts had also led to a days-long pause in the fighting and release of prisoners and hostages earlier in the conflict. The deal reached yesterday was welcomed by leaders and nations around the globe, who also hailed the efforts by the mediators. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank have suffered a lot in recent year and especially since the outbreak of the latest Israeli aggression. Israeli’s military campaign has killed at least 46,707 people in the Gaza Strip and wounded more than a hundred thousand people, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Most of the victims are civilians. Israel launched new strikes even as mediators made final push for the ceasefire yesterday, killing at least 27 people, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. In its campaign, Israel has hit school buildings, hospitals, humanitarian shelters and camps for the displaces population. The death toll includes a number of staff of the United Nations relief agency in the Palestinian territory and aid workers. Violence has also flared in the occupied West Bank. Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 831 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israel’s brutal war on Gaza also saw hostilities spread to Lebanon, where Israeli strikes killed thousands and displaces tens of thousands of Lebanese in the south of the country, before a ceasefire there reached in late November. Israel has also hit locations in Syria and Yemen during this period, further threatening the spread of the conflict. While the ceasefire deal is an achievement, all sides must commit to abiding by the terms of the agreement in the coming days and weeks. It is also an opportunity for the global community to work towards achieving a two-state solution for lasting peace and stability in the region.
