Gaza peace plan stalls as air strikes shatter fragile ceasefire

The gap between rhetoric and reality is widening. Although U.S. President Donald Trump recently touted a major milestone for a peace plan intended to end the conflict, the ground war shows no signs of slowing. Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, has signaled that troop movements will not cease until Hamas is fully disarmed and its tunnel network is dismantled, directly contradicting the group’s insistence that Israel must halt all operations before any weapons are surrendered.

For the more than 2 million residents of Gaza, the promise of a ceasefire has dissolved. Israeli forces have now occupied roughly 60% to 70% of the enclave, forcing thousands more to flee as yellow demarcation lines move closer to their makeshift tents. Aya Mohammad Zaki, a 32-year-old resident, described a cycle of violence where planes strike across the north, center, and south of the territory with hourly frequency. Since the peace plan was announced in October, Gaza health authorities report that at least 1,230 Palestinians have been killed. Meanwhile, the diplomatic maneuvering continues behind closed doors, with Gaza envoy Nickolay Mladenov expected to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a pause in hostilities. For families like that of 60-year-old Soumah Dawla, however, the political calculus offers no protection from the encroaching rubble.