According to the Associated Press, “Health officials said at least 36 Palestinians were killed across Gaza, including children.” Always remember that Hamas controls the numbers, and terrorist fighters use women and children as shields and hospitals and schools as fighting positions. Hamas statistics are simply not reliable.
The Hamas excuse for violating the ceasefire was that the IDF ground forces had not moved to the agreed-to “yellow” line that bisects Gaza longitudinally. However, the terrorist organization has steadfastly refused to disarm in violation of the ceasefire agreement. Reconstruction of Gaza with an armed Hamas is going to be a problem, and the terrorist group does not have operational control of other factions, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigade and the Popular Resistance Committees' Al-Nasser Salah ad-Din Brigades, which seem not to have gotten the ceasefire memo. Nonetheless, Trump asserted that the ceasefire was still holding. The BBC reported:
“Speaking to reporters … on Sunday, Trump said the ceasefire was still in place. He added that Hamas had been ‘rambunctious and they've been doing some shooting,’ but that it might be ‘some rebels within’ the armed group. ‘Either way it's gonna be handled properly. Toughly but properly,’ he added.”
So this is the situation Vance faces on his visit, described as a high-level diplomatic mission to fortify the ceasefire and to discuss the release of more deceased hostages. Furthermore, he will also work on framing what a post-conflict Gaza enclave would look like and how it would be governed. Getting Hamas to disarm is high on the agenda. As long as Hamas has heavy weapons such as anti-tank missiles, machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades, the terrorists will be a threat to lasting peace.
Vance is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Depending on the level of potential violence throughout Gaza, Vance could be the highest-ranking US official to visit the war-torn region since the conflict began two years ago. The VP will assess the level of destruction to get a firsthand perspective on what will be needed to make Gaza inhabitable.
Achieving Peace in Gaza Complicated
The Trump administration is clear-eyed about the situation in Gaza. It is a morass of factions, with Hamas striving to somehow be in a governing position when the fighting stops permanently. That, of course, is unlikely to happen as long as Netanyahu holds on to power.
Rebuilding the devastated Gaza will be a daunting task on the order of the reconstruction of Germany and Japan following World War II. The United States has accepted the responsibility to monitor the ceasefire and flow of aid, and, as Vance reiterated on NBC’s Meet the Press, the president is “not planning to put boots on the ground” in Gaza or Israel.
Managing the ceasefire is the first step. Sending the vice president is a message that America is dedicated to a peaceful and prosperous Gaza.
The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.
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