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<\/p>\n7 July 2025 | 12:00 CAT
\n3-minute read<\/p>\n
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Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Ebrahim\u00a0Moosa has painted a picture of fragile hope and deep mistrust as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin\u202fNetanyahu arrives in Washington to meet with US President Donald\u00a0Trump. The negotiations focus on a proposed 60\u2011day Gaza ceasefire \u2013 a critical pause in the 21\u2011month war \u2013 yet leave many Gaza residents wondering if relief will truly arrive.<\/p>\n
President Trump has positioned himself as a \u2018peacemaker\u2019. The framework includes a temporary halt in fighting, the release of Israeli hostages, and an expanded flow of humanitarian aid via the UN and Palestinian Red Crescent. On July\u202f4, Hamas confirmed it gave a \u201cpositive response\u201d and stands ready to engage on implementation strategies.<\/p>\n
The conditions that Hamas is insisting on are:<\/p>\n
Netanyahu, on the other hand, demands Hamas disarm and even go into exile \u2014 conditions Hamas will not accept.<\/p>\n
Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Moosa highlighted the urgent need for a reprieve for Gazans from relentless bombardment and humanitarian collapse.<\/p>\n
He highlighted Hamas\u2019s key demands: \u201cThey want Israeli troops to withdraw to a certain level during the ceasefire period \u2026 aid distribution \u2026 go back to the United Nations and the Red Crescent \u2026 they\u2019re still calling for full ceasefire.\u201d These elements, Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Moosa stresses, are non-negotiable bridges to genuine respite for Gaza’s population.<\/p>\n
Still, he cautions that a leaked \u201csecret side letter\u201d from the US may allow Israel to re\u2011engage militarily after 60 days \u2014 effectively nullifying the ceasefire.<\/p>\n
Backed by recent joint US\u2013Israel strikes on Iran \u2014 touted as a triumph that energiSed Israeli public morale \u2014 Netanyahu still faces domestic pressure. Far-right coalition partners oppose any truce, while the bereaved families of hostages and war-weary Israeli voters increasingly demand an end.<\/p>\n
Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Moosa referenced analyst Yad al\u2011Baghdadi to differentiate public and political motives in Israel, \u201cIsraeli society would be willing to accept a ceasefire \u2026 while Netanyahu just wants to prolong it as far as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
The prime minister\u2019s strategy? Head to Washington seeking victories on four fronts:<\/p>\n
Yet, Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Moosa observed, none of these avenues guarantee a dramatic win.<\/p>\n
Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Moosa emphasised Hamas\u2019s remaining wariness: they question whether the US letter gives Israel \u201cwritten approval \u2026 to restart the war at any time\u201d \u2014 with or without US consent. Meanwhile, threats against Hamas leaders in Qatar and Lebanon could derail progress, as Israel publicly circulates hit lists targeting figures like Khalil al\u2011Hayya and Ezzedine al\u2011Haddad.<\/p>\n
As Netanyahu steps onto Air Force One, he expressed confidence, \u201cWe are working to achieve this deal \u2026 under the conditions that we have agreed to,\u201d adding, \u201cI think the conversation with President Trump can definitely help advance this (deal), which we are all hoping for\u201d. Trump, for his part, declared he was \u201cvery optimistic\u201d despite acknowledging the situation \u201cchanges from day to day\u201d.<\/p>\n
On-the-ground conditions in Gaza are dire: over 57 000 Palestinian civilians have reportedly been killed, with aid distribution collapsing amid continuing Israeli airstrikes. With Rafah crossing blockades, displaced families in overcrowded shelters, and relentless bombardment of urban centres, any ceasefire delay compounds human suffering.<\/p>\n
Mawl\u0101n\u0101 Moosa believes both sides are fragile: Hamas hopes the deal can alleviate civilian agony, even if temporarily, while Israeli society may accept a ceasefire but still embraces the \u201ccontinuation of the genocide\u201d.<\/p>\n
Analysts suggest that no grand victory looks imminent from a Washington visit. The complexity of interests, secret clauses, and military posturing means this may be a ceasefire with exit clauses \u2014 not an end.<\/p>\n
Still, even a fragile pause can offer Gaza its first real breath in months \u2014 a fragile, precious moment of respite for a community desperate for any relief. Whether it holds, and whether it delivers care instead of caveats, is what Gaza, Israel, and the world will wake to next week.<\/p>\n