Opinion

OPINION - Palestinian resilience triumphs over Israeli genocide

Without Palestinian resilience and resistance, no agreement would have been possible. Netanyahu demanded total Palestinian surrender and failed

Dr. Sami Al-Arian  | 18.01.2025 - Update : 05.02.2025
OPINION - Palestinian resilience triumphs over Israeli genocide Palestinians gathered in the garden of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza to celebrate after US President-elect Donald Trump's announcement of hostage deal, on January 15, 2025 in Deir al-Balah, Gaza.

  • Netanyahu has capitulated, accepting all the conditions that Hamas had previously set and that he had rejected before

The author is the director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs and Public Affairs Professor at Istanbul Zaim University.

ISTANBUL

Since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israeli military bases and settlements near the outskirts of Gaza, Israel has been waging a vicious war of extermination against the Strip for over 15 months — on a scale unseen since World War II.

In the devastation unleashed on Gaza, at least 60,000 people have been killed or are missing, and 140,000 have been injured, 60% of whom were women and children. More than 2 million Gazans have been internally displaced. Throughout this relentless onslaught, the Zionist regime systematically destroyed every facet of civilian life, including hospitals, clinics, universities, schools, bakeries, markets, roads, power stations, water desalination and sewage treatment plants, public buildings, mosques, churches, and the majority of residential buildings and neighborhoods. The entire city now lies in ruins. Nothing has been spared.

Worldwide failure to stop the genocide

For 470 days, genocide in a 365-square-kilometer (nearly 141-square-mile) enclave has been televised and live-streamed before a paralyzed world unable to stop it, despite overwhelming condemnation by over 170 nations. The UN's secretary-general, General Assembly, Security Council, and International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as countless tribunals, human rights organizations, and NGOs have all called for it to end. Tens of millions of people have demonstrated across the globe, demanding an immediate halt to the unimaginable suffering of the people of Gaza.

Because of the crippling siege and brutal war of starvation that Israel unleashed on Gaza, injured and sick Palestinians have faced an acute lack of medicine and medical supplies, compounded by severe shortages of food, water, electricity, and gas for heating. Scenes of children dying from extreme cold and stray dogs scavenging human remains have become disturbingly common. Yet, the Zionist regime has continued its genocidal campaign uninterrupted. Throughout this campaign of ethnic cleansing and extermination, Israel has been enabled by the US, which has provided it with over $22 billion in military aid, along with political cover, diplomatic protection, and other forms of support that facilitated this slaughter. As a parting gift, the complicit Biden administration recently notified the US Congress of another $8 billion package of ammunition and military hardware for Israel.

For over a year, all attempts by the UN and other mediators — including Egypt, Qatar, the US, and others — have essentially been rejected by Israel. Last May, US President Joe Biden proposed a multi-phase deal to end the war in exchange for the release of hostages. While Hamas accepted the proposal, it was promptly rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Similarly, a version of the deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, with tacit US approval in early July, was also rebuffed by Netanyahu. Throughout these attempts, Israel intensified its military campaign, killing scores of Palestinians daily, occupying more land, displacing the majority of residents from their homes in the north, while continuing to destroy as much of Gaza’s infrastructure as possible.

But despite the carnage, the Zionist regime was unable to eradicate Hamas or find an alternative to rule Gaza. Netanyahu remains incapable of declaring “total victory” or securing the release of hostages through military pressure. Meanwhile, the Israeli army continues to suffer significant casualties in its war of attrition against Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other resistance factions in Gaza. Many military observers have noted the mounting losses and the absence of any clear strategic objectives.

Trump's discourse change

Amid this colossal failure, US President-elect Donald Trump aims to begin his administration on Jan. 20 without inheriting this impasse and its catastrophic implications. During his presidential campaign last summer, he called for Netanyahu to “complete the job” by destroying Hamas. Having seen no success on that front, Trump has since shifted his focus to ending the catastrophic war. He announced that hell would break loose if the hostages were not released by his inauguration day. While many interpreted this as a threat against Hamas and the Palestinians, it is unclear what else Trump could do to them that the Zionist regime has not already done. This week, Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Netanyahu and effectively warned him that if no agreement were reached, there would be serious consequences. Within days, Netanyahu capitulated, accepting all the conditions that Hamas had previously set and that he had rejected before.

Hamas and its partners set five key markers for any deal, which have been part of former deals and the current agreement.

  1. A firm commitment to a permanent ceasefire, guaranteed by the three mediators: Qatar, Egypt, and the US.
  2. A complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza after the second phase.
  3. A just prisoner exchange deal, in which Israeli captives are released in exchange for thousands of Palestinians held by Israel, including hundreds serving life sentences or long terms.
  4. Massive aid and supplies to the suffering Palestinians.
  5. Large-scale reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in Gaza.

In previous agreements, these conditions were either scuttled or rejected by Israel. Under this deal, they are now integral parts of the agreement, complete with details on how they will be implemented.

The answer to who won and who lost in this dark chapter should be clear. Without Palestinian resilience and resistance, no agreement would have been possible. Netanyahu demanded total Palestinian surrender and failed. Meanwhile, the Palestinians effectively broke the chains of their prison in a daring operation on Oct. 7, continuing their struggle for freedom and self-determination. Through this deal, they have shown the world that their march toward liberation remains undeterred.

*Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Anadolu's editorial policy.

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