Description: The Israeli government has officially approved the expansion of 22 new Israeli settlements in the West Bank as the US proposed a renewed ceasefire agreement. The initiative for the West Bank expansion was spearheaded by Israel’s far – right ministers of defense and finance, Israel Katz and Bezalel Smotrich and aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian statehood. The US ceasefire proposal was reportedly accepted by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet and included the release of 28 Israeli hostages in return for 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and a 60 – day cessation of hostilities with humanitarian aid still being supplied in Gaza. Hamas was reportedly considering the US proposal as the organization expressed its concerns, stating that it heavily favored Israel and didn’t include terminal solutions to the war.
Impact: The US ceasefire proposal represents a temporary reprieve of hostilities and aims at stymieing the devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel’s planned illegal expansion in the West Bank further underscores the country’s position of continued warfare despite the mounting international pressure. Recent protests by the Palestinians in Gaza and the further depletion of the organization’s leadership, with the assassination of Mohammed Sinwar, put Hamas in a disadvantageous position which may force the group to agree towards the temporary ceasefire. The proposed agreement is still far from resolving the impasses between Israel and Hamas and represents a fragile prelude towards what its expected to be continued negotiations for ending the war in Gaza and the West Bank.