Gaza Faces Severe Flooding Amidst Stalled Peace Efforts

Over 800,000 residents of Gaza are currently facing the threat of flooding, as reported by the United Nations, with a fierce winter storm sweeping across the region.

The torrential downpour has already inundated temporary shelters and caused the collapse of multiple structures.

Water steadily seeps through the gaps in the tent shared by Ghadir al-Adham, her spouse, and their six children in Gaza City. This family remains displaced following the conflict and is eagerly awaiting the initiation of reconstruction efforts.

“We are enduring a life filled with humiliation,” she expressed. “We yearn for caravans. We want our homes restored. We long for solid walls to keep us warm. Each day, I sit and weep for my children.”

As the ceasefire imposed by the United States enters its second month, Gaza finds itself ensnared in the initial phase of Donald Trump’s peace initiative. The territory is split between the conflicting factions, leaving its inhabitants displaced and surrounded by destruction.

Plans for new housing and a restructured government are stalled, while the search persists for Israel’s last remaining hostage, Ran Gvili.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized that Hamas must return all of Israel’s captives—both deceased and alive—before any progress can be made towards the more complex aspects of the peace agreement.

However, extensive searches through the rubble in Gaza have yet to yield any trace of Gvili. Captured during the Hamas attacks on October 7, he was a police officer recovering from an injury who responded to defend the kibbutz of Alumim.

His parents, Talik and Itzik, were informed last year that he had not survived the ordeal.

Their journey home to Meitar, a town in southern Israel, is adorned with banners honoring him, with yellow flags symbolizing remembrance for Israel’s hostages fluttering alongside.

“They abducted our son, they took him away from us,” his mother, Talik, lamented.

Itzik added, “They know his whereabouts. They are simply trying to conceal or retain him. They are playing with our emotions.”

The couple suspects that Hamas intends to use their son as leverage in future negotiations, holding him as a bargaining chip after releasing all other hostages.

A Hamas representative countered these claims, asserting that the allegations were false and that Israel was evading the implementation of the agreed-upon terms.

With no evidence of Gvili’s body and increasing pressure from Washington, his parents express hope that Israeli leadership will refrain from advancing until their son is located.

“Officials in the Israeli government assure us, ‘No, we will not progress to the next phase until Ran returns.’ This is their commitment,” Talik stated.

Many in Israel are convinced that it would be politically challenging for Netanyahu to pursue the next steps in the agreement, especially if even a single hostage remains unaccounted for in Gaza.

Both Israel and Hamas are expected to confront significant compromises as they move to the next phase of the agreement. For Hamas, this entails surrendering arms and relinquishing control. For Israel, it involves transferring security responsibilities to an international stabilization force.

Retired General Israel Ziv, a former head of Israel’s military Operations Directorate, suggests that leaders on both sides may be reluctant to advance.

“Israel and Hamas share common interests in not hastening into the second stage,” he remarked. “Hamas is unwilling to lose its grip, and Israeli leaders, for political reasons, also prefer to maintain their presence in Gaza, as no one wishes to justify to their constituents a retreat.”

Ziv believes that Trump is the only figure capable of propelling both sides forward, warning that time is of the essence.

“If we delay, we risk missing the opportunity, as Hamas is reorganizing and regaining its strength,” he cautioned. “We must take a deep breath and move forward with the plan, for remaining stagnant is the worst possible outcome.”

Disarming Hamas—a task acceptable to both parties—presents the first major obstacle. Without this crucial step, foreign nations are unlikely to commit troops to secure the region, and reconstruction efforts in Hamas-governed territories will remain stalled.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu expressed skepticism regarding foreign nations’ ability to fulfill this role in place of Israel.

“Our allies in America are exploring the establishment of an international force to undertake this task,” he said. “We recognize that this force may have certain capabilities. I do not wish to elaborate, but they cannot handle everything, and they may not be equipped for the most critical tasks, yet we shall see.”

The current situation in Gaza is marked by a division created by the so-called yellow line, which delineates the limits of Israeli forces under the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The chief of staff of Israel’s military has recently referred to this line as a “new border,” raising concerns that Israel may be signaling an intention to maintain a prolonged presence in the area.

Crucial topics, including strategies for disarming Hamas, are set to be addressed in an upcoming meeting between Israel’s prime minister and Donald Trump in Florida later this month.

The U.S. president, who has already facilitated a ceasefire in Gaza and advocated for his peace plan at the United Nations Security Council, has expressed a strong desire to advance the process.

“I plan to announce the members of a newly established Board of Peace for Gaza in early next year. It is poised to be one of the most remarkable boards ever… Everyone wants to be part of it,” he stated.

Additionally, there are widespread reports that Israel, responding to pressure from Washington, is beginning efforts to clear debris in preparation for a new temporary housing initiative in the Israeli-controlled area of Rafah, located in the southern part of the Strip.

This new housing project could potentially shelter tens of thousands of Gazans, provided they agree to relocate into Israeli-held areas and undergo security checks for any affiliations with Hamas.

Some perceive this as an attempt to encourage Gazans to move into Israeli territories, thereby isolating Hamas. A limited number of individuals have already crossed into these areas, where camps established by armed groups allied with Israel are situated.

However, many Gazans, even those who wish to see Hamas replaced, reject the idea of living under Israeli authority.

This scenario presents a glimpse into an alternative future for Gaza, should the second phase of Trump’s plan falter; a future where Gaza, already fragmented, risks becoming even more divided.