How the Trump-brokered Gaza Peace Deal Can Be Made to Work

AS WE HOLD OUR BREATH, hoping that the White House-brokered deal to halt the war and release the hostages will be successfully implemented, there remains one issue that cannot be ignored. The international media, many international outlets, along with loud protesters in the capitals worldwide, is accusing Israel of genocide. For Jews, who endured the Holocaust in Europe under Nazi Germany—when six million were systematically murdered—such an accusation is especially difficult to bear. Genocide is not a charge made lightly. By definition, it refers to the deliberate at­tempt to annihilate a people on the basis of their ethnicity. When a few of my Indian friends accused Israel of genocide, I felt that I must react. Many people conflate the tragic act of killing civilians with the legal and moral crime of genocide. In recent years, even India has faced repeated baseless accusations of genocide—from both within its borders, in relation to its Muslim population, and from Pakistan during Operation Sindoor when the Indian military was accused of deliberately targeting civilians, including women and children. Among the accusers was Al Jazeera, the Qatari state-backed outlet (often criticised as a Qatari propaganda channel).

 The Gaza war that erupted after the October 7, 2023 massacre carried out by Hamas, aims to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and to neutral­ise the threat posed to Israel from the Gaza Strip. Hamas provoked this war and waged it within Gaza, fully aware that its own people would be harmed. The Gaza war is not a conventional conflict. It is a war between a country subject to international war laws and terrorist groups that are not. The key principles for warfare in urban areas require combatants to distinguish between civilian and military targets, conduct proportional attacks, and take constant precautions—such as providing advance warnings—to minimise harm. There should be proportionality between expected civilian casualties and the anticipated effect on militants. To avoid violations of the law, Israel is taking extra measures and also engaging military lawyers to review each operation and maintain documentation to address future war crime accusations. In contrast, the missiles launched by Hamas at Israel aim to harm as many civilians as possible. Whereas Israel encourages Palestinian civilians to leave combat areas by sending phone messages and distributing leaflets, Hamas forces them to stay, often at gunpoint. For Hamas, using the Palestinian civilians is both a military strategy and a tool in their propaganda against Israel. Hamas is committing war crimes by using its own people as human shields. Evidence shows that many casualties in Gaza are actually the result of Hamas militants deliberately placing civilians in harm’s way or hiding behind them. Some Hamas-fired missiles that failed and fell back have also killed their own civilians. Yet, despite these facts, Israel continues to be blamed for the consequences of Hamas’ tactics. The reality is far more complex than what can be captured in a TikTok story. No one in Israel takes satisfaction in the civilian casualties among Palestinians and, unfortu­nately, tragic mistakes are an inherent part of war. Hamas could end the conflict by releasing the hostages and transferring control of the Gaza Strip to non-terrorist Palestinians under an international coalition. But Hamas is driven by a religious ideology that seeks the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. Sacrificing their own people is a price they are willing to pay in pursuit of their ultimate goal: the elimination of Israel.

Forced starvation is another accusation levelled against Israel. It is important to distinguish between hunger and starvation. While pockets of hunger exist in Gaza, they are not the result of intentional starvation. Over the past two years, Israel has delivered more than two million tonnes of food and aid to Gaza—a quantity sufficient for the region’s two million-plus inhabitants. The problem, once again, lies with Hamas. They weaponise food deliveries: according to a United Nations (UN) report, 85 per cent of the food delivered to Gaza in recent months was confiscat­ed by Hamas. They first provide food to their militants and then sell the remainder at inflated prices, using the proceeds to fund their military operations. One hasn’t heard any complaints directed at Egypt regarding the situation in Gaza. Egypt shares a border with Gaza and could provide food and basic supplies, yet it is not blamed. Israel, which was attacked by Gaza, in contrast, is accused of failing to provide food to the very people who came to kill its citizens.

The population of the Gaza Strip was around 100,000 in 1948, the year the State of Israel was established. By 2005, when Gaza be­came an independent territory, it had grown to 1.4 million. Today, the population stands at 2.3 million. With a 23-fold growth over the past 77 years, it is clear that blaming Israel for genocide is unfounded given the remarkable demographic increase.

Within Israel, the majority of voices called for an end to the war, and daily protests urged Netanyahu to advance negotiations to achieve that goal. If elections were held today, his government would likely fall. However, elections are not expected until late 2026, and prior to accepting US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace pact, Netanyahu’s vision focused on a decisive victory—specifically, the dismantling of Hamas. This objective came at a significant human cost, affecting both Gazan civilians and Israeli soldiers. In Israel, every soldier is mourned as if he were one’s own child. Since military service is mandatory, most of these young soldiers are between 19 and 22 years old. Each death sparks widespread grief and renewed calls to end the conflict. Many Israelis blame Netanyahu for prolonging the war to secure his political position. Nonetheless, he has the right to lead the country’s fight against Hamas, and his aspira­tions for a ‘Great Victory’ should not be mistaken for genocide.

Netanyahu faces challenges within his coalition govern­ment, as far-right parties advocate the capture and occupation of Gaza driven by their religious ‘Great Israel’ ideology. They claim that all of Israel’s territory, including Gaza and the West Bank, rightfully belongs to the Jews based on their interpretation of a divine promise. However, these parties do not reflect the official stance of the government. Netanyahu has consistently stated that Israel has no intention of occupying Gaza. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, seeking stability and peace. As a democracy, Israel encompasses a broad spectrum of opinion, from moder­ate to extreme, but it is inaccurate to portray the statements of extremists as the official position of the country.

The protest parades across Europe, shouting ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Death to Israel’, are deeply distressing—and for Israelis, trulyfrightening. The ancient Christian anti-Semitic myth that Jews arebaby killers has now merged with the modern propaganda-drivenclaim that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers are baby killers. Suppressed anti-Semitism has found a new excuse to resurface.

Just a few days ago, at a Manchester synagogue, two Jews were murdered and several others injured in a hate crime on Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jew­ish calendar. They were killed simply because they were Jews. They weren’t Israelis—they were British. It later turned out that one of the victims was probably killed by a police bullet but that doesn’t change the nature of the attack. Jews around the world are in danger from anti-Semitic terrorists. They are not Israelis— they are targeted simply because they are Jews.

The UN and many world leaders were calling for an end to the war. Muslims around the world express solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Gaza. Relatively few voices blame Hamas for the situation, and even fewer hold Qatar accountable despite its longstanding support for Hamas and other terrorist organisations,as well as providing shelter for their leaders. The international focustargets Israel, which has the legitimate right to self-defence. At thesame time, Hamas openly and unequivocally states that it intendsto repeat the October 7 attack whenever an opportunity arises.

The claim that Hamas is a small group holding the Gazan population hostage is not accurate. Hamas was elected by the people of Gaza in 2006. On October 7, 2023, residents of Gaza cel­ebrated in the streets, rejoicing at the attack carried out by Hamas in Israel. When the borders were breached that day, hundreds of Gazan civilians infiltrated Israeli villages, joining Hamas militants in looting and killing. They cheered as Hamas jeeps transported young Israeli girls who had been taken hostage and distributed sweets in the streets. The textbooks used in Gazan schools—including those sponsored by the UN—call for the kill­ing of Jews. This is the mindset being instilled from an early age.

Two years since October 7, 2023, 48 Israelis remain hostages in Gaza, with only 20 confirmed alive. They are being starved and tortured. In a recent video released by Hamas, Evyatar David, 24, abducted from the Nova music festival when he was 22, appeared emaciated, holding a shovel and stating that he had been ordered to dig his own grave. For Israelis, the image of an emaciated figure immediately recalls the Jews in the Nazi death camps. History seems to be repeating itself.

At the recent UN General Assembly meeting, many world leaders announced their recognition of a Palestinian state, perhaps believing this would help resolve the Palestinian issue. They ignore the fact that Hamas does not seek a two-state solution; its aim is a single Palestinian state from the (Jordan) River to the (Mediterranean) Sea,effectively erasing Israel. Since 2005, Hamas has controlled Gaza as a de facto sovereign territory, but instead of investing in a sustainable economy, it has poured resources into building military infra­structure. It sustains its victim narrative by securing continued support from the UN and perpetuating the refugee status. In this context, recognising Palestine is not a solution but a reward for Hamas’atrocities. Israel is a peace-seeking country, and a two-state solu­tion remains a goal worth aspiring for. However, as long as the Palestinian street rewards terror and children study textbooks that call for killing their Israeli neighbours, the celebratory declarations made at the UN are nothing more than empty words. In the after­math of the synagogue attack, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was blamed for being indirectly responsible. He was one of the leaders who recognised the state of Palestine. When you reward terrorists, it seems they eventually strike in your own backyard.