Quick summary:
• Israel and Hezbollah begin a cease-fire after 14 months of conflict, brokered by the U.S. and France.
• The fighting in Lebanon has killed over 3,700 and displaced 1 million people.
• Gaza faces a worsening crisis, with over 44,000 dead, 104,000 injured, and most of its population displaced.
• Israeli airstrikes have devastated Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, creating dire humanitarian conditions.
• Critics condemn U.S. arms sales to Israel, fueling military campaigns in both Gaza and Lebanon.
• Peace advocates call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and a broader push for regional stability.
• Biden and international allies pledge further negotiations but face criticism over delayed action.
As a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah takes effect, attention has shifted to the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The agreement, brokered by the United States and France, aims to end a 14-month conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, calls for an immediate end to Israel’s military operations in Gaza have grown louder as the death toll reaches staggering levels.
The cease-fire, approved by Israel’s National Security Cabinet in a 10-1 vote, began at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir cast the sole dissenting vote. The agreement follows some of the heaviest fighting in months, during which Israeli airstrikes targeted Beirut, and Hezbollah rockets struck northern Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined Israel’s conditions for maintaining the cease-fire, emphasizing that Israel retains “full military freedom of action.” In a televised address, Netanyahu warned, “If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack. If it launches a rocket, if it digs a tunnel, if it brings in a truck carrying rockets, we will attack.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised the cease-fire as a significant step toward “calm and stability in Lebanon” and thanked the United States and France for their mediation efforts. Mikati also highlighted plans for the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeeping forces to secure the southern region and facilitate the return of displaced residents.
Despite these efforts, critics in both Lebanon and Israel question the agreement’s sustainability. Avigdor Lieberman, a prominent Israeli politician, argued, “This agreement is not good because it does not require the Lebanese army and government to disarm Hezbollah.” Similarly, analysts expressed doubt about whether the cease-fire can achieve lasting peace while the region remains deeply polarized.
Over the past 14 months, nearly 3,700 people in Lebanon have been killed, many of them civilians, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. The violence has displaced approximately 1 million people across the country. Israeli forces claim to have dismantled much of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, but Lebanese officials and humanitarian groups report widespread destruction of civilian areas, including hospitals and schools.
As the fighting intensified, first responders in Lebanon faced immense challenges. Reports indicate that Israeli airstrikes often targeted rescue operations, further endangering civilian lives. The Lebanese Popular Aid Society described these conditions as “impossible to work under,” highlighting the dire situation for emergency workers.
While the cease-fire in Lebanon offers a glimmer of hope, the crisis in Gaza continues unabated. Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have devastated the enclave, leaving more than 44,000 Palestinians dead and over 104,000 wounded, according to local officials. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, struggling to access basic necessities amid severe restrictions on humanitarian aid.
Civilian infrastructure in Gaza has been decimated, with homes, hospitals, and water treatment facilities reduced to rubble. Humanitarian organizations warn that the ongoing blockade, combined with the destruction, has created conditions of near-total collapse.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), a U.S.-based Quaker group, issued a stark statement: “More violence and suffering in Gaza will not make Israel, the U.S., or anyone safer or more secure. It must end now. We reiterate our calls for our government to use all U.S. leverage to bring about a full regional cease-fire.”
President Joe Biden, speaking from the White House Rose Garden, described the cease-fire in Lebanon as a “permanent cessation of hostilities.” He credited French President Emmanuel Macron for playing a pivotal role in the negotiations and emphasized that U.S. troops would not be deployed to southern Lebanon. Biden also pledged to push for a cease-fire in Gaza in the coming days.
However, critics argue that U.S. policies have prolonged conflicts in the region. Nancy Okail, CEO of the Center for International Policy, remarked, “While Israel has the right to legitimate self-defense against Hezbollah, the Netanyahu government’s deliberate escalation of the conflict in September resulted in disproportionate harm to civilians. Mixed messages and prevaricating by the Biden administration…further prolonged the fighting and exacerbated the death and destruction it has brought.”
The FCNL also condemned U.S. arms sales to Israel, which have fueled the military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon. Last week, a bipartisan majority in the U.S. Senate rejected three resolutions introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders that sought to halt certain arms shipments to Israel.
Peace advocates stress that a cease-fire in Gaza is essential for any long-term resolution to the broader Middle East crisis. As Biden negotiates with regional powers like Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, analysts warn that unresolved tensions in Gaza could reignite violence across the region.
“The U.S. and its partners must ensure that the terms of this agreement are fully honored so that civilians on both sides of the border can safely return to and rebuild their communities,” said Okail. “What remains of the utmost urgency, however, is also ending the war in Gaza, where the U.S. arming of the Netanyahu government’s campaign of displacement, starvation, [and] slaughter…continues in violation of American and international law.”
The need for diplomacy and humanitarian intervention is critical as both Lebanon and Gaza face staggering losses. Advocates call on world leaders to prioritize civilian protection and lay the groundwork for sustainable peace.
As the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah holds for now, attention must remain on Gaza, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence. Peace advocates emphasize that regional stability depends on an immediate end to hostilities and accountability for human rights violations.
Nancy Okail summed up the urgency of the situation, stating, “This agreement nonetheless comes too late…The U.S. and its partners must ensure that the terms of this agreement are fully honored.”
To take action and ask the U.S. to call for a ceasefire, de-escalation, and humanitarian access in Gaza, sign the petition from the Friends Committee on National Legislation.
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