Palestinians in Gaza welcomed President Biden’s endorsement of a proposal to end the war in Gaza, but some were skeptical it would be implemented in the near future, and at least one man – a professor at the Palestinian University in Gaza – expressed his concerns on many issues. in people’s minds: who will govern Gaza in the future?
Hamas, which carried out an attack on Israel on October 7 and governed Gaza before the war, reacted positively to Mr. Biden’s speech in a statement on social media. He said he was ready to treat in a “constructive” manner any ceasefire proposal based on a permanent truce, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes and a “serious exchange of prisoners.”
The proposal outlined by President Biden would be divided into three phases. The first phase would include a six-week ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the release of elderly and female hostages held by Hamas. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinian detainees would be released.
During the first phase, Israel and Hamas would continue to negotiate to reach a permanent ceasefire and launch a second phase aimed at ending the war. If negotiations last more than six weeks, the first phase of the truce will continue until an agreement is reached, Mr. Biden said. The third phase would begin to tackle the enormous task of rebuilding Gaza.
Rami Shrafee, a professor at the University of Palestine, said it was unclear who would represent Gazans in the second and third phases of the deal. In the past, the United States has said the Palestinian Authority, which runs the West Bank, should be brought in to rule Gaza, but it was unclear whether that was still the U.S. position.
“Who will sign this agreement, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority or the Palestinian people? » asked Mr. Shrafee.
He added that Israel has made it clear that it does not want Hamas or the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza after the conflict ends.
Mr. Shrafee sees the proposal as part of ongoing efforts to maintain the separation of the Palestinian territories and undermine any prospect of a future Palestinian state.
“If there is no Palestinian unity and no Palestinian national plan, then destructive efforts against Palestinian existence will continue,” he said. “And Gaza will remain separate from the West Bank, and there will always be a division between the Palestinian Authority and whoever administers Gaza. »
Al-Qasem Saed, a lawyer and researcher at the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, said Biden’s position was a victory because it reflected the “resistance of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip” and the capitulation of the “head of a country”. the size of the United States, which is considered the policeman of the world.
Others, like Rania Al Khodary, who helped promote local businesses on social media, were simply happy to see the United States talking about ending Israel’s war in Gaza. On social media, she captured the exhaustion and frustration many were feeling, saying: “Assuming Hamas agrees to Biden’s proposal and Israel accepts it, the war will end in penalty kicks… or an offside goal… let it end. »
News Source : www.nytimes.com
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