Breathe
By Cristina Gutiérrez
On Tuesday morning, March 18, Israeli forces launched one of the deadliest attacks on Gaza since the start of the war, unilaterally breaking the ceasefire agreement that came into effect approximately two months ago. The attacks have left 400 people dead and more than 560 wounded, mostly women and children, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens of people are still trapped in the rubble.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Tuesday's attacks "are just the beginning" and that they will not stop their offensive until they achieve all their goals, including the total destruction of the militant group Hamas.
Tuesday's attacks and the disruption of the ceasefire in place come two weeks after Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Since early March, the Israeli government has prevented the entry of vital goods and supplies into Gaza and cut off the electricity supply to a desalination plant that provides drinking water to the population, as a form of collective punishment that, beyond its cruelty, violates international humanitarian law.
The Israeli government has stated that the resumption of attacks on Gaza is a response to Hamas' refusal to release the hostages still being held captive, which according to the cease-fire agreement would be carried out in the second phase of the agreement. During the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which ran from January 19 to March 1, 33 Israeli hostages were exchanged for 1,800 Palestinian prisoners and Israel would allow the return of the population to their homes and the entry of humanitarian aid. In the second stage of the agreement, which has stalled and was scheduled for a few weeks later, Hamas would release the remaining 59 hostages, hundreds more Palestinian prisoners would be freed and Israel would put a permanent end to the war with the complete withdrawal of its troops from the Gaza Strip. And it is precisely this last point that has prevented progress in the negotiations and the entry into force of the second phase of this fragile agreement, for while Israel demands the immediate release of all hostages, it is not willing to fulfill its part and withdraw its military presence from the Gaza Strip. On the contrary, as indicated by the recent resumption of the military offensive, it seems that a permanent cease-fire and an end to this war are getting further and further away.
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