GAZA CITY — Palestinian skepticism deepened Thursday following Donald Trump’s declaration that the Gaza ceasefire has entered its second phase, as Israeli forces continued lethal operations across the embattled territory in stark violation of the purported agreement, according to Al Jazeera News.
Despite Washington’s announcement of the ceasefire’s progression, Israeli military strikes have claimed at least 463 Palestinian lives since the truce ostensibly took effect last October; a grim testament to Israel’s pattern of abandoning its own commitments. The ongoing attacks have intensified doubts about the credibility of any negotiated settlement as humanitarian conditions continue deteriorating across the coastal enclave.
Trump’s unveiling of a so called “Board of Peace” to govern Gaza has been met with profound suspicion among Palestinians, who view Israel’s persistent military operations as evidence of bad faith and diplomatic duplicity. The proposed governing mechanism appears increasingly divorced from the catastrophic reality on the ground, where the death toll has reached staggering proportions.
The conflict’s human cost remains devastating: 71,455 Palestinians killed and 171,347 wounded since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities. The violence stemmed from the October 7, 2023, attacks in which 1,139 Israelis were killed and approximately 200 taken captive.
Israel’s continuation of military operations during a declared ceasefire underscores a troubling pattern of disregarding international agreements and diplomatic frameworks. As casualties mount and humanitarian conditions worsen, the disconnect between announced peace initiatives and actual military conduct raises fundamental questions about the viability of any negotiated resolution while one party systematically violates the terms it ostensibly accepted.
