Nearly three months after a formal ceasefire was supposed to bring calm to Gaza, the brutal reality on the ground tells a story of continued bloodshed and profound human suffering. While the world's attention has drifted, the violence has not ceased, with hundreds of Palestinian lives lost since the truce began.
A Ceasefire in Name Only
On 10 October 2025, a negotiated cessation of hostilities came into effect, offering a glimmer of hope for the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. However, the promised peace has proven to be deeply flawed. According to the Palestinian health ministry, more than 400 Palestinians have been killed, with over a thousand injured by Israeli military action since that date. In a single night in late October, the death toll exceeded 100.
The tragic human cost is exemplified by individual stories, such as the deaths of two children killed in a drone strike while they were gathering firewood for their disabled father. The Israeli military states it is responding to direct threats from terrorist groups, accusing Hamas of continuing operations, including planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that have killed and wounded Israeli troops.
Beyond the Violence: A Deepening Humanitarian Catastrophe
While the ongoing violence presents the most immediate danger, it is compounded by a severe and enduring humanitarian emergency. More than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million population remain displaced. Many who returned after the ceasefire found their homes destroyed and now live in flimsy tents, exposed to harsh winter conditions of extreme cold and rain.
Although the threat of famine has receded, major aid organisations report that obstacles to supply deliveries persist. The amount of food and medical aid reaching those in need is described as critically insufficient. The situation is further inflamed by disputes over military boundaries, with locals claiming that Israel's so-called 'yellow line' demarcating no-go zones shifts unpredictably.
Stalled Progress and Regional Deterioration
The initial momentum of the ceasefire, which saw the return of all living Israeli hostages and numerous Palestinian prisoners, has ground to a halt. In some areas, the situation has actively worsened. Human rights groups report that in the occupied West Bank, attacks and harassment of Palestinians by Israeli settlers have reached a level not seen since 1967.
This stagnation directly impacts the proposed roadmap for peace. The current phase, the ceasefire itself, is meant to lead to a second stage outlined in Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan. This next phase includes plans for Gaza's future administration, an international security force, further Israeli withdrawals, and Hamas disarmament. However, progress toward these goals is lagging far behind initial hopes.
Experts argue that advancing to phase two is impossible while killings continue at the present rate and the most basic needs of Gaza's population go unmet. The editorial stresses that blind eyes must not be turned to the ceasefire's defects or its glacial pace of implementation.
The immediate priorities must be increased international scrutiny of the truce and a significant acceleration in the provision of life-saving supplies, including proper winter shelter. Without addressing these fundamental issues, there is little prospect for moving forward, let alone achieving the full Palestinian self-determination that is essential for any lasting, comprehensive solution. The plan, described by Trump as the dawn of a new Middle East peace era, is teetering on the brink and in urgent need of concerted global attention to prevent its total collapse.
