The US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on the night of October 10. Israel withdrew its forces to the buffer zone around Gaza, Palestinians began returning to their homes, and Hamas released all remaining hostages. What is the Middle East media's opinion of this event, and has the war in Gaza truly ended?
Egyptian commentators see the ceasefire as a new opportunity for the country, opened up by the peace summit in Sharm El Sheikh on October 13. As Mohamed El-Sayed Saleh of Al-Masry Al-Youm notes, realizing this potential requires concrete action. However, he doubts the ability of current economic leaders to implement the necessary reforms, citing their past mistakes and excessive reliance on IMF mandates.
Furthermore, the Egyptian publicist addresses the memory of the past as an important factor in current progress. He notes that, although the Egyptian armed forces systematically honor the heroes of the October War of 1973, the role of civilian sectors in that Arab-Israeli conflict remains underestimated. In his view, for true success, relying on international achievements is insufficient; it is necessary to honestly assess domestic problems and fairly preserve historical memory.
Kuwaiti media are also recalling the events of past years. Dr. Abdulrahman Al- Jiran, writing in the newspaper Al-Rai, views Britain's decision to recognize Palestine as a manifestation of "late political consciousness"—an ability to take into account the rights of the Palestinian people, forgotten since the Balfour Declaration of 1917. According to the author, the highest form of civic consciousness arises when the interests of those in power naturally align with those of society.
England achieved this not through superiority, but through unique circumstances: its island location weakened authoritarianism, and trade created a balance between classes, allowing different groups to participate in politics. In contrast, in the Arab world, the pursuit of such maturity is confronted by deep partisan and tribal divisions. These groups, according to the Kuwaiti author, substitute loyalty to leaders for national interests.
His colleague, Dr. Khaled Ahmed Al-Saleh, calls for a focus on Gaza's integrity, including its psychological integrity. He believes the Arab world must go beyond material aid and focus on healing the deep psychological wounds inflicted by the war on Gazans, especially children. This requires a comprehensive program, including the creation of psychological support centers and the training of local specialists.
At the same time, he believes, it's necessary to restore social infrastructure—schools and a stable family environment—which directly impacts mental health. The media, which must cover events without exacerbating trauma, play a crucial role in this process, as do religious leaders who can provide spiritual guidance to young people, and cultural projects that provide opportunities for self-expression.
The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar publishes an article by Vijay Prashad from the website Peoples Dispatch, which documents the sheer scale of the destruction in Gaza: hundreds of thousands of buildings destroyed, infrastructure and the healthcare system virtually wiped off the map, rendering the area uninhabitable. The cost of reconstruction is estimated at tens of billions of dollars, but the key question—who should pay for it—is ignored. Instead of demanding reparations from Israel, the culprit of the destruction, attention is being turned to donor countries.
The author attributes this silence to the systemic destruction of Palestinian political representation. For decades, Israel has imprisoned or physically eliminated the most popular Palestinian leaders, such as Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat. This has created a power vacuum in which Palestinians speak for others, while their own voice is weakened. According to Prashad, Israel benefits from the absence of a strong Palestinian partner, allowing it to unilaterally dictate the terms of Gaza's future.
The only path to justice, the author concludes, is the release of Palestinian leaders and the inclusion of their organizations in the negotiations. All other aid and reconstruction without authorized Palestinian representatives, in his view, are merely a continuation of the political destruction of Palestine.
The Arabic publication The National is also pessimistic. Its editorial board believes that while the ceasefire and prisoner exchange are significant developments, the reality in Gaza remains grim. The main test for the fragile agreement will be the disarmament of Hamas. To avoid the mistakes of the past, as in Lebanon, a clear plan is needed. The key to stability, according to the publication, is a phased process: the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the disarmament of militants, and the deployment of professional Palestinian security forces. A pragmatic solution could be the transfer of Hamas's weapons to a third party for safekeeping.
For Hamas itself, maintaining its arsenal is futile and dangerous, as it gives Israel a pretext for further attacks. Therefore, disarmament is seen as a prerequisite for Gaza's survival. The current power vacuum is already provoking clashes between Palestinian factions, threatening civilians. A striking example of this escalation was the attack by Gaza militants on Israeli forces in Rafah on October 19, which prompted the IDF to launch retaliatory airstrikes.
Thus, the Middle East media unanimously acknowledge the ceasefire's historic significance, but their assessments of its long-term prospects are extremely skeptical. The main conclusion emerging from these differing opinions is that the ceasefire is not the end of the war, but merely a pause. Key issues remain unresolved. And as long as these issues remain in the air, the fragile calm could be shattered at any moment by a new round of violence, as already happened in Rafah.
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