Ceasefire shattered, Gaza burns, and the world once again debates what justice looks like.

After a brief ceasefire, the agreement between Hamas and Israel was unilaterally revoked by the latter, who once again commenced relentless bombing of Gaza, which has claimed the lives of scores of Palestinians, including children. A fresh ground offensive has also been started in southern and central Gaza, which hints towards escalating the situation. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, approximately 640 Palestinians have lost their lives in the renewed Israeli ground offensive, shattering its ceasefire agreement with Hamas.¹ Houthis, in retaliation for the resumption of genocide, attacked Israel's Nevatim airbase with ballistic missiles and targeted shipping in the Red Sea. This provoked the wrath of the U.S., which launched its most significant military operation in the Middle East since President Trump took office. The U.S., already focused on Iran, has warned it to refrain from supporting the Houthis.
The Middle East has been in continuous turmoil for the last few years, especially after Hamas’ attack in October 2023. The current conflict has featured some unique dynamics in the region, which, though prevalent, are not always conspicuous. For the first time, Iran and Israel came face to face and exchanged military arsenals in deliberate attacks. The demonstration of technological prowess from both sides was also notable. The U.S. sided with Israel unabatedly, even more so after Mr. Trump took office as President. The Gaza conflict also united Muslims and the majority of non-Muslim countries in a unanimous call to halt Israeli atrocities.
The process toward the 'Two-State' solution gained global prominence, and the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel was hoped to be a stepping stone in that direction. Iran's support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis became apparent, but efforts were made to eliminate their leadership and weaken their military capabilities. Now that Israel has revoked the ceasefire agreement, all these actors are back on stage, and the suffering of Palestinians has resumed, evoking global empathy for their plight.
The momentous Gaza ceasefire agreement was divided into three phases and spread over months. It was concluded on January 19, 2025, with the mediation of the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt. The first phase, lasting six weeks, saw Hamas releasing 33 hostages in exchange for Israel releasing around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and allowing aid and other goods to enter the Gaza Strip. The second phase of negotiations was set to begin upon completion of the first and included the release of all remaining hostages as well as the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, leading to a permanent end to the war. The first phase ended on March 1, 2025, with thousands of Palestinians returning to Gaza, where only rubble awaited them. Consequently, active talks on the rebuilding of Gaza commenced.
Two plans were presented: one from the U.S. proposed the forced migration of Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt while converting the Gaza Strip into a "Riviera of the Middle East"—a resort area under U.S. control but funded by "Arab partners." Arab countries rejected the plan as it involved forced migration, violated Palestinians’ rights, had an unrealistic approach, contained non-implementable features, and was against international laws and norms.
The second plan, Gaza-2030, was presented by Egypt and spanned three phases over five years with a financial layout of USD 53 billion. It proposed a Palestinian technocratic setup for the first six months, ultimately transferring control to the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians would remain in temporary settlements inside Gaza until the plan was fully implemented. The international community, including international financial institutions (IFIs), was to be approached for funding.
Neither plan included a role for Hamas in the rebuilding and governance of Gaza. Gaza-2030 was widely accepted globally and garnered support from Arab and European countries.
Upon the culmination of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, Israel, with the backing of the U.S., proposed extending the first phase by another six weeks, during which all hostages would be released while negotiations for lasting peace continued. Hamas resisted and insisted on adhering to the original plan, which included the withdrawal of Israeli forces. In response, Israel halted humanitarian aid to Gaza and then resumed aerial raids, followed by a ground offensive.

A fresh ground offensive has also been started in southern and central Gaza, which hints towards escalating the situation. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, approximately 640 Palestinians have lost their lives in the renewed Israeli ground offensive, shattering its ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

During earlier negotiations on the ceasefire agreement, Israel did not agree to have the "non-resumption of attacks" explicitly mentioned in writing. Hamas accepted this demand based on the verbal assurances of mediators. This was perhaps a deliberate loophole left in the agreement by Israel.

A complex web of intertwined activities continues to unfold in Gaza. How these will be resolved remains difficult to predict. However, the ultimate victims in all of this are the Palestinians

Mr. Netanyahu was engulfed in political turmoil at home. He saw the Gaza conflict as a blessing in disguise for salvaging his political career, allowing him to rally public support in his favor. He unleashed an unprecedented wave of destruction and killing, simultaneously waging battles on multiple fronts: Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran.
Throughout the conflict, there was immense public pressure for the release of hostages, with families demanding the return of their loved ones, alive or dead. However, hardliners in Israel sought the complete annihilation of Hamas. Thus, Mr. Netanyahu had two clear objectives: securing the release of all hostages, including their remains, and eliminating Hamas entirely.
Despite a relentless and brutal campaign that resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians and left over 100,000 injured, he failed to achieve either of his stated objectives.²
When he signed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, there was opposition within his government, and some coalition partners threatened to abandon the government. He may have reassured them that after the release of hostages, he would complete the task. The extension in the first phase of the ceasefire was perhaps aimed in this direction, as he might not have wanted to lose the military edge he gained during the whole campaign by retrieving troops. On the other hand, due to the resumption of hostilities, the release of hostages by Hamas is again in limbo. There is, therefore, growing criticism from the public, who had hoped to receive their dear ones as the ceasefire process was completed. This situation has significant implications for the future of the conflict and the potential for a lasting peace agreement.   
The U.S. dream of taking control of Gaza and converting it into a Riviera would also not have been possible had the ceasefire agreement progressed in its original form. The White House stated that it was consulted by Israel before the attacks resumed, implying that its consent—tacit or explicit—was given.
Additionally, an unfinished agenda remains: a deal on Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. has vowed to apply maximum pressure on Iran to conclude a nuclear agreement, which must include its entire program, covering both weapon systems and delivery means. Iran has resisted but has shown some willingness to negotiate—provided there is no external pressure. With Israel’s renewed military campaign, pressure on Iran will also increase, as it remains the only country to have confronted Israel militarily. If Iran re-enters the conflict, U.S. pressure against it will intensify, which is already mounting following Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and subsequent counterattacks by the U.S.
A complex web of intertwined activities continues to unfold in Gaza. How these will be resolved remains difficult to predict. However, the ultimate victims in all of this are the Palestinians. They have lost their loved ones, homes, livelihoods, and peace. More importantly, there is little hope of restoring life in Gaza—at least not to what they once knew seventeen months ago.

The writer is an Honorary Research Fellow at the National Institute of Maritime Affairs, Islamabad.
E-mail: [email protected]

1. “Israel’s Ground Offensive Pushes Deeper into Gaza.” Le Monde. March 23, 2025. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/23/israel-s-ground-offensive-pushes-deeper-into-gaza_6739443_4.html.
2. “Israel’s War on Gaza Has Killed 50,000 Palestinians since October 2023.” Al Jazeera. March 23, 2025. ttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/23/israeli-offensive-in-gaza-has-killed-50000-palestinians-since-october-2023.