Glimpse into the challenges behind ceasing the conflict in Gaza

Israel is preparing for another major offensive in the famine-stricken area of Gaza City, a conflict that has been ongoing for nearly two years and shows no signs of abating. The ongoing violence has raised concerns about a potential escalation in bloodshed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed Hamas for holding around 20 living hostages and has criticised the international community for its perceived lack of action. Netanyahu denies any political motives for the conflict and insists that the war must continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated.

The influence of other countries over Israel, including Western-aligned nations that have called for the war to end, pales in comparison to the United States' influence. President Donald Trump has not exerted public pressure on Israel since the end of the ceasefire initiative, instead focusing on pressuring Hamas to accept US-brokered ceasefire terms and release hostages. Trump has demanded that Hamas release the hostages but has not pressured Israel to do the same.

Trump wants the war to end and the hostages to come home, but his envoy walked away from ceasefire talks last month, blaming Hamas. The U.S. has yet to respond publicly to a ceasefire proposal that Hamas accepted last week. Hamas is willing to release the remaining 50 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal.

Hamas has ruled out laying down its arms or going into exile, viewing disarmament as all but dooming the national aspiration for a future Palestinian state. The disarmament of Hamas could potentially lead to other armed groups taking its place as the vanguard of armed resistance to military occupation.

The Palestine Liberation Organization, a previous leading militant group, went into exile after Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and Hamas emerged in Gaza five years later. Netanyahu's governing coalition depends on far-right parties that want to continue the war until Hamas is defeated and Palestinians are relocated or settlements are rebuilt.

Critics accuse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political reasons, while from Hamas' perspective, giving up arms would leave Palestinians defenseless against Israel's ongoing military rule and expansion of settlements. The conflict started on Oct. 7, 2023, with an attack by Hamas.

Throughout the conflict, the United States has provided billions of dollars worth of arms to Israel and shielded it from U.N. calls for a ceasefire. The ongoing violence in Gaza City continues to pose a significant challenge to the region and the international community.