Gaza: Between Truth and Hypocrisy: The Expected Deal and Media Complicity

In recent days, Arab and Israeli media have been pumping out repeated doses of "hope," talking about the nearing of a deal that would open the door to a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip, and perhaps even an agreement that would end the war, guarantee an Israeli withdrawal, and reconstitute the Strip's administration. This news is being relayed amid leaks from "senior sources" and "informed circles," as if the language of deliberate ambiguity has become a substitute for truth. This style of rhetoric does not reflect credibility as much as it indicates attempts to test the waters or create a public opinion receptive to outcomes that have not yet been conceived, and may never be. Nevertheless, there is no denying the presence of movements on the ground, especially after Netanyahu's meeting with former US President Donald Trump in Washington, where the Gaza issue was raised as part of a broader package of regional issues, most notably US-Saudi relations and the nuclear talks with Iran.

Ending the war in Gaza is no longer a field matter; it has become a purely international issue, one that brings together maps of interests, centers of influence, and equations of deterrence and profit. In the eyes of international players, Gaza is merely one clause in a grand bargain, one in which the blood of children matters less than the balance of power and hegemony.

Amid this complex landscape, Egypt continues to play its pivotal role as a steadfast mediator. Despite the fall of Witkoff's proposal, Cairo has re-submitted a new, urgent proposal in an attempt to save the negotiating process from stalling. Egypt's insistence on keeping the line open does not stem from excessive optimism, but rather from a deep understanding that delay means more bloodshed and a deepening collapse in the exhausted Gaza Strip.

However, the fact that the Israeli delegation has not yet entered into substantive negotiations cannot be ignored. Instead, it is merely observing from afar, while Egypt, through its contacts and efforts, attempts to reset the negotiating landscape and establish an appropriate framework for the post-war phase. The formation of a civilian support committee to administer Gaza is being strongly proposed, given the absence of any internal Palestinian consensus on a shared vision.

But at the heart of these movements, and amid the crowded tables and mediations, the reality on the ground in Gaza remains a witness to a tragedy being engineered in full view of the world, and sometimes even with its blessing. The evacuation zones expand day after day, and systematic displacement is repeatedly stated by the occupation's leaders as a legitimate goal, while civilians are used as a public bargaining chip.

Even more dangerous is the role that some Arab media outlets have shamelessly adopted: a discourse that equates the executioner with the victim, emptying the Palestinian suffering of its human and political significance. The media coverage of some channels and platforms is no longer simply a conveyor of the news; it has become part of the crime itself. Coverage exaggerates the details, marginalizes the catastrophe, and presents Gaza as a passing humanitarian crisis, rather than an ongoing crime deserving of outrage and justice.

Today, amid the wait for a truce and the bloodshed of reality, the scene requires moral clarity before any deal. Gaza needs a genuine Arab position, not hotel-style dialogue and soothing tweets. We need a media that isn't afraid of the truth, but rather raises its voice against mass murder, not polishes its platforms of lies over the skulls of children. This is not the time to bet on intentions unless there is a sincere international will to put an end to the aggression, hold Israel fully accountable, and return Gaza to a comprehensive Palestinian national project.

In contrast, Hamas is called upon to raise its national awareness to the level of this historic moment, and to realize that Gaza's fate cannot be monopolized, and that the future of the Palestinians cannot be managed by slogans alone. It is time for Hamas to move beyond the logic of factions and embrace a comprehensive national partnership, placing the supreme national interest above any organizational or ideological considerations. Gaza is not a card in anyone's hand, but rather the soul of this people and the heart of their cause.