This isn't a real ceasefire in Gaza – it's a holding pattern before war returns | Sanam Vakil

Gaza Ceasefire: A Holding Pattern Before War Returns?

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October 10, with over 100 people killed in recent airstrikes. However, the arrangement is far from secure, and a return to violence is increasingly likely.

The latest round of violence was sparked by Hamas fire against Israeli forces in Rafah, an area still under Israeli control. Israel responded with strikes on Gaza City and Khan Younis, highlighting the lack of enforcement mechanisms and determination among parties to respect the ceasefire.

The 20-point plan introduced by Donald Trump's administration is largely undeveloped, offering no clear timeline or credible means of verification. The plan remains a holding pattern, with each side interpreting violations to suit its own interests.

Gaza's humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with shortages of food, water, and medicine, while aid convoys face intermittent blockages. The population is already traumatized from two years of war, and the infrastructure in ruins.

The Trump administration's efforts to sustain the truce have been positive but insufficient. High-level visits and deployment of troops to a monitoring centre have done little to prevent renewed cycles of conflict.

Without mechanisms to prevent violations or impose consequences, the truce remains vulnerable to collapse from any single provocation. The fundamental flaws in Trump's plan are clear – it treats symptoms rather than addressing the root problems.

For the ceasefire to evolve into a sustainable framework, international reinforcement is needed. Independent monitoring, clear timelines for reconstruction and withdrawal, and binding guarantees for security and humanitarian access must be put in place. Without these elements, the situation will continue to lurch between cycles of calm and violence, eventually giving way to another round of war.

The lack of accountability and authority among monitoring centres means that the truce remains at risk. The influence of Egypt and Qatar is waning amid this uncertainty, leaving a power vacuum that could be filled by other actors with competing interests.

Ultimately, the ceasefire in Gaza is not a meaningful peace plan but a temporary holding pattern through which both sides prepare for the next confrontation. It is imperative to address the underlying issues driving the conflict and work towards a more sustainable solution.

idk about this whole ceasefire thing ... it seems like both sides are just waiting for an excuse to start fighting again . the trump plan is basically useless, it's all fluff with no real teeth . what's the point of having a monitoring centre if there's no consequences for violating the truce? and don't even get me started on the aid convoys being blocked... that's just a recipe for disaster . we need to take a step back and address the root problems, not just patch things up with some half-baked plan . international reinforcement is needed, stat!

I'm telling ya, this ceasefire is a ticking time bomb. It's just a matter of time before things escalate again. And you know who's gonna get hurt? The civilians in Gaza! They're already struggling to survive amidst all the chaos. We need some real leadership here, not just empty promises from world leaders.

I mean, think about it, if we can't even get a ceasefire agreement working, how are we gonna get a lasting peace? It's all about addressing the root causes of the conflict, like the Israeli-Palestinian issue. We need to focus on finding solutions that benefit both sides, not just one side.

And let's be real, the Trump administration's plan was never gonna work in the first place. It's a band-aid solution at best. We need some serious international pressure and commitment to make this ceasefire stick. Otherwise, we're just gonna keep seeing these hold-and-slow cycles of violence that are devastating for everyone involved.

I'm not saying I have all the answers, but one thing's for sure – we need a more nuanced approach to conflict resolution. We can't just rely on empty words and symbolic gestures. We need real action and commitment from world leaders to make this ceasefire work.

this whole thing is just a big cycle of fear and aggression - both Israel and Hamas are playing a game where they're waiting for the other guy to make a move so they can say "oh, you started it!" it's like we're stuck in a never-ending loop of violence and trauma. but maybe that's the point - what if we're just too scared to talk about our differences and find common ground? perhaps this is an opportunity for us to re-examine our assumptions and try a new approach. after all, what does it take to break free from these patterns of aggression and build something more peaceful?

The thing about this ceasefire is that it feels like just another temporary pause before things escalate again I mean, we've got Hamas firing on Israeli forces, and Israel responding with airstrikes... it's like they're playing a game of chicken out there And what's the Trump plan doing to prevent all this? Not much It just feels like the same old cycle of violence and trauma for the people of Gaza

We need some serious international support here to get this ceasefire off the ground. Independent monitoring, clear timelines... you know, the usual stuff But I'm not holding my breath Because when it comes down to it, both sides are just waiting for the other guy to blink or make a move

this ceasefire thingy feels like a never-ending loop - one day calm, next day boom! i mean dont get me wrong, its good that ppl are talking and trying to find a way out of this mess, but honestly, whats the point if we cant even make it last for like more than 2 weeks

i mean think about it, theres this one plan put forth by trump and all its just sitting there collecting dust... meanwhile gaza is still getting bombed and ppl are struggling to survive what gives? need some real action on these humanitarian issues ASAP!

and omg the power vacuum thing is SO on point - if egypt and qatar cant hold it down, who else is gonna step in? gotta get some more players at the table here or else were just gonna keep running around in circles

Ugh, gotta say... this whole thing is so messed up . I mean, the Trump admin's 20-point plan was a joke from the start - all smoke and mirrors with no real substance behind it . It's like they expected both sides to just magically respect each other's boundaries without any actual consequences for breaking them .

And don't even get me started on the lack of enforcement mechanisms... it's like they're hoping everything will just work itself out because magic . Newsflash: it won't. The situation in Gaza is already a disaster, with people struggling to access basic necessities like food and medicine .

We need some real leadership here, not just empty promises and fly-by visits from politicians who aren't actually invested in solving the problem . International reinforcement is key - we need independent monitoring, clear timelines for reconstruction and withdrawal, and actual guarantees for security and humanitarian access .

This ceasefire thingy is just a temporary reprieve until the next round of violence... it's like waiting for the other shoe to drop . We need to get real about addressing the underlying issues driving this conflict and work towards a more sustainable solution that actually addresses the root problems, not just treats the symptoms .

Umm... this whole thing is soooo confusing . Like, what's going on in Gaza? One day it's calm, next day there's airstrikes. I feel like they're just waiting for an excuse to go back at each other. And what's up with the Trump plan? It sounds super vague . They need some real solid rules and consequences or else it's just gonna keep happening. And what about all the people suffering in Gaza? Food, water, medicine... how can they even survive right now? It's like nobody cares except for the media showing us all this sad stuff on TV. Can't we do something to stop this violence? Like, make it so both sides have to play by the same rules or something?

I'm really worried about what's happening in Gaza right now... it feels like we're stuck in this never-ending cycle of violence. The ceasefire plan sounds good on paper, but with no clear timeline or way to enforce it, I think it's just delaying the inevitable. We need real accountability and action to address the root problems that led to this conflict in the first place. The lack of aid and resources for Gaza is heartbreaking - how are we supposed to expect a lasting peace when people can't even access basic necessities like food and medicine?

the gaza situation is so heartbreaking it's like they're just living on borrowed time you know? it's been two years of war and the trauma is still fresh and now this fragile ceasefire is just holding them all back what's the point of even trying if we're not gonna do better next time? we need more than just some empty promises from trump or whoever's in charge right now they need to put in real work towards a lasting solution like independent monitoring and accountability for both sides, and actual timelines for reconstruction it's all just too much

The situation in Gaza is still super tense , and I'm getting really worried about the humanitarian crisis . 100+ people killed in airstrikes? That's just too much ! It feels like we're stuck in a holding pattern , waiting for something to happen next .

I don't think Trump's plan is doing enough . We need more concrete actions, not just empty promises . Independent monitoring and clear timelines are key ! Without accountability and authority, the truce will always be at risk . The international community needs to step up and provide real support .

It's so frustrating that we're still talking about the same issues two years later . When can we expect a real solution? The lack of progress is really hurting people on the ground . We need to think outside the box and find a more sustainable solution .

Let's hope someone steps in soon to prevent another round of violence ! We can't keep living in fear . It's time for real change, not just temporary fixes . #GazaCeasefire #PeaceNow #HumanitarianCrisis

this whole thing is so messed up you gotta wonder what's the real reason for these ceasefires they're just stalling for time till the other side makes a move, meanwhile gaza is getting killed slowly and quietly by its own people trapped in their homes with no way out it's like they're living in a war zone but nobody's really fighting

and don't even get me started on this trump plan it's like throwing some Band-Aid patches on the wounds of a bullet-ridden body, it's not gonna fix anything just gonna leave more holes for the bad guys to shoot through and meanwhile israel keeps getting away with its own aggression they're like the real enemy here

we need to stop pretending that these ceasefires are some kind of magic solution and start treating them for what they really are temporary reprieves from the never-ending cycle of violence, we gotta go deeper than just band-aid fixes and try to understand why people are so hungry for revenge in this first place

I'm so worried about what's happening in Gaza , it feels like we're stuck in a never-ending cycle of violence . The ceasefire might seem fragile now, but if it collapses, who will suffer even more? The humanitarian situation is already dire, with food, water, and medicine shortages . We need to see some real action from the international community, like setting up independent monitoring centers and enforcing timelines for reconstruction ️. It's all about accountability and security here . And can we please address the root causes of the conflict? Let's not just keep jumping from one holding pattern to another . We need a sustainable solution that brings real peace, not just temporary calm . #GazaCeasefire #PeaceForGaza #InternationalSupport

I'm getting really worried about this ceasefire... it's like they're just setting up another ticking time bomb . If we don't get some real accountability and enforcement mechanisms in place, things are gonna go downhill fast . And honestly, 20 points plan sounds super vague to me - what even is the timeline for reconstruction and withdrawal? When's it gonna happen?

We need some serious international reinforcement here, like independent monitoring centers that can actually do something about violations . And let's not forget Gaza's humanitarian crisis - food, water, medicine... they're literally struggling to survive here .

I'm all for diplomacy and high-level visits, but if we don't have concrete solutions, it's just a bunch of empty promises . We can't keep going through cycles of calm and violence without making some real progress. It's time for a sustainable solution that addresses the root problems . Anything less is just delaying the inevitable .

The whole thing feels super fishy, you know? Like, Israel's just waiting for a tiny push to start all over again. And what's with this 20-point plan? It sounds like they're just trying to paper over the issues instead of actually fixing them. We need some real, tangible action here, not just empty promises and photo ops. And can we talk about the humanitarian situation for a sec? Like, people are literally starving and dying, and what's being done to help? It feels like they're just throwing money at the problem instead of actually addressing it. This whole thing needs some serious overhauling ASAP!

OMG I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this... Like, what's going on in Gaza? One minute it's calm, the next minute there's airstrikes and people are dying... It's so sad. I feel like we should be doing more to help those people, you know? But I don't really get how all this works with the ceasefire and the Trump plan... Is it just a bunch of words on paper or is there actually something being done? I wish someone would explain it to me in simple terms so I can understand what's going on...

I think we're just going to keep seeing this back and forth until someone gets their act together. Like, what's with all these monitoring centres? They can't even agree on what's happening in Gaza without getting their own sides all upset... And don't even get me started on the Trump plan - it sounds like some hasty stab in the dark to me. We need real solutions for this mess, not just a bunch of empty words and promises

the current gaza ceasefire is super fragile , it's like one wrong move and things could go haywire again. i mean, we all know that 100+ people have been killed in airstrikes since october 10, so it's not like the ceasefire has been holding up amazingly well . and don't even get me started on the trump administration's 20-point plan - it sounds like a total joke . i mean, where's the timeline for reconstruction or withdrawal? how are we supposed to know if the other side is sticking to their guns when there are no clear consequences for violating the ceasefire? it's all just a bunch of hot air without some real substance behind it. and let's not forget about gaza's humanitarian situation - food, water, medicine... it's a nightmare down there . we need some serious international reinforcement to make this thing work, like independent monitoring and binding guarantees for security and humanitarian access . until then, i'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop .

I'm getting that feeling all over again . Remember when Trump's administration first introduced this 20-point plan? I was like "yeah right" . And now it seems like nothing's changed. The lack of enforcement mechanisms is just mind-boggling. I mean, who needs verification when you've got sides just making stuff up to suit their own agendas?

And don't even get me started on the humanitarian situation in Gaza . It's like they're expecting us to forget what happened over there? 100+ people killed and we should just be grateful for a brief ceasefire? Not buying it .

The thing is, this whole ceasefire thing feels like a temporary reprieve before the next round of violence. And what's going to change that? Egypt and Qatar's influence waning? Please . Without some real accountability and authority in place, we're just looking at another holding pattern. Can't we do better than this?

Ugh I'm so worried about the situation in Gaza . This ceasefire feels like a temporary reprieve, you know? It's like when you're watching your fave show and just when it gets good, the ads come on . The lack of enforcement mechanisms is like a big ol' void that everyone's just ignoring. I mean, Donald Trump's plan was supposed to be the answer but it's more like a Band-Aid on a bullet wound .

And can we talk about Gaza's humanitarian crisis? It's like someone poured all their sorrow and trauma into one place . The infrastructure is ruined, food and water are scarce... it's just heartbreaking. We need some real action here, not just empty promises and photo ops .

I wish international leaders would step up and put in the work to make this ceasefire sustainable . We can't keep going back and forth like this; someone needs to take a stand and help these people get the help they need .