Northern truce...will it be a "window of salvation" for Gaza?

There has been much talk recently about the possibility of reaching a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, and leaks have spread about Hezbollah’s agreement to separate the Lebanese front from the Gaza Strip front. Hence, many are wondering about the extent of the impact of these negotiations on the war in the Gaza Strip and on the Hamas movement.

Hamas and its leadership abroad face a favorable opportunity to play a strategic role in stopping the war on the Strip and starting reconstruction, as it has a narrow window of opportunity to exploit the current developments to reach a deal that guarantees its survival, which requires greater flexibility and the ability to maneuver politically to conclude a deal or agreement that may grant Gaza a kind of stability that it has lacked, and ensure Hamas’s continuity within a formula that preserves its interests.

In the world of politics, where balances are constantly shifting, it is clear that Hamas has a limited opportunity to exploit what is happening in Lebanon. Time is a crucial factor, especially in light of the Lebanese Prime Minister’s talk about progress in negotiations towards a ceasefire, which makes the region ready for major transformations that could change the balance of power.

While the focus of international negotiations is on calming Israel’s northern border, it is necessary to remind the world of the tragedy of Gaza. There are 2.3 million people there who aspire to a safe and stable life, but cannot find a way to do so. The talk of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel indicates a regional trend towards a limited calm, which may have a positive impact on the situation in Gaza, but it may put additional pressure on Hamas to adjust its role regionally and achieve a strategic balance that ensures its survival without weakening its ability as an effective force in the region.

As the pace of negotiations accelerates northward, fears remain that the train will miss Gaza, leaving it once again outside any path to peace and calm, amid ongoing tension. This is what makes time crucial; the world’s response now may be the most prominent factor in giving the people of Gaza a chance to emerge from their isolation and achieve the desired stability.

With the growing international recognition that stability in the Middle East is of long-term strategic importance, the world can support a real effort to stabilize Gaza, which represents a unique case and one of the most prominent challenges, and the world can, if it wants, support efforts to calm it down. Here comes the importance of this moment in reaching an agreement that reduces the suffering of Gaza, and Hamas may consider following the option of "peaceful popular resistance", according to previous statements by its leaders, which may open the way for it.

The daily suffering of the Gazans is not just a passing headline; it is the daily reality of life for millions of men, women and children. There is an entire generation that has known nothing but war and siege, as the people of Gaza live in miserable conditions amidst a complete collapse of basic services.

The images of killing, destruction, war and massacres call for the world to act in support of Gaza, where the West has the ability to influence negotiations and support efforts to achieve a comprehensive truce that will restore some life to the Strip. It is essential to realize that peace in Gaza is an integral part of peace in the region as a whole, and that the world’s support for initiatives to alleviate humanitarian suffering is an important step towards broader stability.

Gaza deserves more than a temporary ceasefire; it deserves a permanent solution that makes life possible there and enables its people to regain their basic rights away from a harsh siege and an uncertain future. A ceasefire in Lebanon may be an opportunity, but if its effects do not extend to Gaza, the international community will miss out on supporting a purely humanitarian cause.

The children, women and elderly of Gaza deserve the world’s attention and a genuine desire to support their basic rights as human beings, like any other human being on the face of this earth.