Israeli Attacks Persist One Year After Gaza Ceasefire
Despite a ceasefire declared in Gaza a year ago, Israeli forces continue their attacks, while settler violence disrupts the olive harvest in the West Bank.
The ceasefire in Gaza marked its first anniversary, yet reports indicate a worsening humanitarian situation and ongoing Israeli attacks. Nearly 100 humanitarian and human rights organizations have stated that the ceasefire exists "in name only." According to Gaza's Health Ministry, 1,493 people have been killed and 5,299 wounded since the truce took effect.
Highlights
- Israeli attacks continued in Gaza on the first anniversary of the ceasefire, with 1,493 fatalities reported.
- The Israeli military claimed some of those killed were Palestinian fighters; Hamas denied these claims.
- The Palestinian olive harvest in the West Bank was obstructed and attacked by Israeli settlers and soldiers.
- The Board of Peace, Gaza's transitional oversight body, failed to meet commitments regarding international stabilization forces and aid entry.
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas postponed legislative elections, citing Israeli restrictions.
Details
Islamic Relief noted that, on average, a Palestinian in Gaza has been killed or wounded by Israeli forces every 90 minutes since the ceasefire began. While the Israeli military claimed some of those killed were Islamic Jihad or Hamas operatives, Hamas rejected these allegations, and they have not been independently verified. Israeli forces have also continued to push the "Yellow Line" — demarcating Israeli control — further into residential Gaza City neighborhoods, leading to fresh displacement.
Gazze's transitional oversight body, the Board of Peace, has failed to meet its key commitments under the ceasefire agreement. No international stabilization force has been deployed, and aid trucks are entering at roughly one-third of the agreed rate. Israel continues to control nearly two-thirds of the Strip, significantly more than the approximately 50 percent it was supposed to retain.
In the West Bank, the Palestinian olive harvest was severely disrupted by Israeli settlers and soldiers. Harvesters were killed, attacked, and blocked. Settlers' own chat groups revealed they perceive Palestinians accessing their land as an attempt to "seize" it, and the olive harvest as a cover for "intelligence gathering." There are also documented instances of settlers stealing olives from Palestinian lands.
Why it matters
These developments highlight the fragility of the Gaza ceasefire and the deepening humanitarian crisis in the region. The ongoing settler violence in the West Bank and Israel's efforts to expand its control negatively impact the daily lives and economic activities of Palestinians. The postponement of Palestinian elections further exacerbates political instability and hinders democratic processes within the Palestinian Authority.