In less than 24 hours, heavy Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 4oo Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities, marking the end of a ceasefire that was announced in name only between Hamas and Israel on 15 January and took effect four days later. Even after months of negotiations led by the US, Qatar and Egypt, those observing Palestinian-Israeli affairs knew the ceasefire never really meant Israel ceased its fire on the besieged coastal territory.

Between 22 January and 11 March, at least 700 Palestinians were either killed by the Israeli military or their bodies were retrieved from areas medics could not previously access, according to ministry of health in Gaza as reported by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. In the past two months, Israel has also reneged on the terms of the truce, refusing to allow tents and trailers for people to seek shelter from the freezing cold that led to the death of several people, mainly babies, health officials say.

The ceasefire also stipulated that Israel would allow heavy machinery to enter Gaza to begin the process of removing the rubble. It did not do so, and the United Nations says it will take 350 years to clear the destroyed homes and infrastructure and begin rebuilding if Israel does not lift the current blockade.

Another stipulation – a rather important and urgent one – was allowing more aid to flow into Gaza. Although more trucks did enter during the initial phase of the agreement, Israeli authorities made it impossible for aid groups to make a dent in the dire humanitarian situation. On 2 March, hours after the first phase of its ceasefire deal expired, Israel blocked the entry of all aid shipments to Gaza, while simultaneously carrying out drone attacks, according to a BBC report.

Even before Israel made this decision, it had already been systematically restricting the entry of everything from scalpels and scissors to generators, toys and spices. But with the complete halt of food, fuel and other necessities, humanitarian organisations feared Gaza was “facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity”, according to a UN report, with Médecins Sans Frontières accusing Israel of using aid as a “bargaining chip” with which to negotiate.

The so-called truce was a political manoeuvre, a pause that allowed Israel to reset the clock on its war while maintaining the core elements of its siege and occupation. Israel continued its war on Gaza through an ongoing choking blockade, aerial attacks, and the killing and abuse of Palestinian prisoners. In the West Bank a parallel war rages on, with Israeli forces raiding Palestinian homes, carrying out assassinations and detaining people in the thousands.

This is a pattern we have seen before: an overwhelming Israeli assault, a mounting civilian death toll, global outrage leading to calls for a ceasefire, and then a brief de-escalation. But during that time, Israel fortifies its military positions, re-arms, and sets the stage for the next round of violence. For instance, in 2008-09’s Operation Cast Lead, and after a six-month ceasefire, Israel launched a devastating 23-day assault on Gaza, claiming Hamas had violated the truce. However, reports indicated that Israel had planned the attack months in advance, using the ceasefire to prepare militarily.

Israel often agrees to ceasefires when international scrutiny mounts. By doing so, it presents itself as the reasonable party while shifting blame on to Palestinians when violence resumes. By engaging in ceasefire talks without addressing occupation and the siege, Israel ensures that the status quo remains unchanged, preventing any long-term resolution. A real ceasefire would require an end to Israel’s ongoing occupation and the suffocating siege on Gaza – not just a temporary pause in violence. Until then, any so-called truce remains an illusion.

What Gaza needs is not another fleeting truce, but a fundamental shift in international policy – one that stops treating Israel’s actions as above reproach and starts holding it accountable for its violations of human rights and international law. Anything less will ensure that this cycle of violence continues, with devastating consequences for the people of Gaza and the Palestinian people overall.

Dalia Hatuqa is an independent journalist specialising in Palestinian-Israeli affairs

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