We welcome the news that a ceasefire agreement has apparently been reached between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza Strip. However, we approach this news with caution for a variety of reasons.

1. We are unaware of any meaningful monitoring by independent third parties. The United States, which has proudly announced its role in the ceasefire – ignoring completely the fact that it provided most of the weaponry for what most international organizations have termed a genocide – cannot in any way be seen as an ‘independent third party’, and therefore must have no role in monitoring the ceasefire.
2. The governance structure of the Gaza Strip is not sufficiently addressed. Again, the United States and Israel must have no role therein; the governance of Palestine can only be determined by the Palestinians, as guaranteed under international law.
3. We are also concerned about Israel’s sincerity; the ceasefire is scheduled to take effect on Sunday, January 19, but since its announcement, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombs, supplied mainly by the United States. While technically the bombing isn’t required to stop until the 19th, one wonders why Israel is using the last remaining days before the ceasefire to continue this slaughter.
4. One of the provisions of the agreement is an increase in the almost non-existence humanitarian aid. We are disappointed, but hardly surprised, that this had to be part of the agreement, when the governments of the world should have demanded that Israel cease preventing such aid from entering Gaza a year ago. Preventing humanitarian aid is a war crime.
5. We are also concerned about reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured his most radical cabinet members – including Minister of Finance Bezalel Yoel Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir – that he will violate the agreement once the hostages are released, and that the entire purpose of the agreement is to obtain their release. Ben-Gvir has proudly stated that he prevented previous agreements to release the hostages in order to continue the savage bombing of Palestine. Netanyahu requires their support to remain in power. And based on the impunity for its war crimes and crimes against humanity to date, we see no provision that would hold Israel accountable for violating this ceasefire agreement.
6. There is no provision to assure that those accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity will be held accountable. In keeping with international law, this shouldn’t be required in a ceasefire agreement, but due to the flagrant, shocking violations of international law that Israel has committed with – thus far – complete impunity, it should be one of the provisions of the agreement.
7. There is no provision for the exercise of the internationally-guaranteed right-of-return for Palestinians, promised to them following the brutal ethnic cleansing from Palestine at the time of the establishment of Israel. This, too, is a major flaw in the agreement.

Additionally, UN member states  are obliged, through the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to stop all support for Israel’s illegal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This means all member states must stop weapons shipments to Israel; end trade with Israel that supports Israel’s military; stop trade with illegal Israeli settlement industries, and ensure a secure means of delivering desperately needed humanitarian relief. Only the provision for humanitarian aid is included in the current agreement.

If this agreement brings an end to the unspeakable suffering that the people of Gaza, and to a lesser extent, those in the West Bank, have experienced for the last fifteen months, then we wholeheartedly endorse it. However, due to the concerns listed above, we cannot share the optimism that many world leaders seem to be proclaiming today.