On December 11, 2024, following the successful cease-fire that has entered into force on November 27, 2024, between Israel and Lebanon, I wrote a blog at The Times of Israel asking for an urgent intervention by the United Nations Security Council, with the consensus of the five permanent members, to end the war in Gaza. That blog seems to be even more urgent and relevant nowadays.

On January 19, 2025, on the eve of the inauguration of President Trump, an agreement on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was eventually reached, with the active involvement of the Biden and incoming Trump US Administrations. The cease-fire agreement led to the release of 33 live hostages over seven weeks, a massive influx of humanitarian assistance, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and a respite for the 2 million civilians entrapped in Gaza, between the cruelty of Hamas, and the brutality of the Israeli actions. And yet, the Israeli government decided unilaterally not to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor, in early March it completely sealed the borders with the Gaza Strip and on March 18th, it returned to active fighting in the Gaza Strip, violating the agreement it has signed. The combination of intensive military actions and increasing starvation has led to a massive humanitarian crisis and widespread killing of civilians. Only one additional hostage (Edan Alexander) was released since late February, due to the direct negotiations between the United States and Hamas.

In the aftermath of President’s Trump’s important visit to the Middle East, Israel escalated its aerial attacks on the Gaza Strip, and in the last few days it has re-occupied several areas, leading to a massive forcible transfer of about 1 million Palestinians to a tiny area of the Strip. Hundreds of Palestinians, the vast majority of them women and children, have been killed. It is evident that nowadays Israel is committing crimes of war (forcible........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)