DST News: Talks about entering the “second phase” of the Gaza ceasefire sound hopeful on paper, but the reality on the ground tells a far more troubling story.

Hamas says it is ready to return the last body of an Israeli captive and is open to “freezing” its weapons — a gesture meant to help move the ceasefire forward. Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, claims phase two could begin soon. Yet Gaza’s daily experience contradicts any sense of progress.

Since the ceasefire began in October, Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks, killing more than 360 Palestinians and pushing past its agreed military line inside Gaza. Aid remains tightly restricted despite catastrophic hunger. UNICEF reports nearly 9,300 malnourished children — a staggering indicator of how far Gaza remains from recovery.

Netanyahu openly says the war “has not ended,” raising doubts about Israel’s commitment. His political instability, corruption trial, and reliance on US backing — particularly from the Trump administration — blur the line between military strategy and political survival.

The proposed second phase would place Gaza under temporary technocratic governance, overseen by an international board and security force. But Palestinian groups reject any foreign tutelage, warning that it sidelines their national will.

With Israel still striking Gaza, political chaos in Jerusalem, and Washington juggling multiple global conflicts, there is little certainty about what comes next. What is clear, however, is that Palestinians continue to pay the price of a ceasefire that exists only in speeches — not in their lives.

Source: Aljazeera