The recent ceasefire agreement in Gaza was a crucial step toward de-escalation, offering a temporary pause in hostilities. It provided an opportunity for humanitarian relief, the return of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to their homes, and a reduction in regional tensions in the Red Sea and beyond.
The collapse of the Gaza ceasefire is a tragic setback for peace, but it is not too late to reverse course.
Israel shattered this fragile truce by abruptly resuming military operations and blocking all aid delivery into Gaza, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis. The collapse of the Gaza ceasefire is a tragic setback for peace, but it is not too late to reverse course. Congress must condemn these attacks and speak out for continued diplomacy before more innocent lives are lost and this conflict spirals into an even larger disaster.
The Ceasefire Was Working
During Phase 1 of the ceasefire, despite many implementation issues and Israeli escalations in the West Bank, there were tangible improvements on the ground in Gaza. Fighting paused, allowing supplies of food, water, and medical assistance to reach civilians in desperate need. The agreement also facilitated hostage and prisoner exchanges, reuniting Israeli and Palestinian families with loved ones who had been in captivity.
The ceasefire also helped reduce hostilities in the Red Sea and beyond, preventing the conflict from escalating into a wider regional war. Despite these clear benefits, Israel broke the truce, unleashing another wave of destruction.
Israel Violated the Ceasefire Agreement
After agreeing to the terms of the ceasefire in January, Israel blamed renewed hostilities on Hamas’ refusal to free more captives before talks on ending the war continued. This was not part of the original ceasefire deal. Israel has now fully resumed military operations and cut off Gaza from humanitarian aid, leading to devastating consequences. This week, Israeli airstrikes and quadcopter drones attacked densely populated areas across Gaza, killing and injuring hundreds of Palestinians, including 174 children. The complete shutdown of aid deliveries for weeks has left hospitals without medicine, families without food, and essential infrastructure in ruins.
The breakdown of the ceasefire has heightened tensions across the Middle East, including in Yemen and the Red Sea. Last weekend, President Donald Trump ordered unauthorized strikes in Yemen, which killed dozens of civilians and destroyed critical civilian infrastructure.
Concerning Timing Behind Israel’s Escalation
The decision to resume military aggression coincides with key political developments in Israel, raising concerns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using the war to deflect from his own domestic challenges. Just this week, Netanyahu’s planned testimony in his corruption trial was postponed following the resumption of attacks in Gaza.
In response to the collapse of the deal, a coalition of hostage families and protesters have taken to the streets in Israel to oppose Netanyahu’s moves to escalate the war in Gaza. “This is no longer a war that is about something that is important, it is all about the survival of this government, the survival of Benjamin Netanyahu,” said Koren Offer, a protester in Jerusalem.
The Urgent Need for Diplomacy
With diplomacy on the rocks, Congress must demand immediate negotiations to renew the ceasefire. Crucially, lawmakers must use their leverage to pressure the Trump administration and the Israeli government. That’s why we’re calling on all lawmakers to support resolutions to halt the flow of offensive weapons to the Israeli government and restore vital U.S. support for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) - the leading aid agency providing life-saving aid on the ground in Gaza and beyond.
What we need now more than ever is a sustainable peace process. Without peace, ongoing cycles of violence will only deepen the suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis and lead to instability across the Middle East that affects us all.
The U.S. and other global actors must step up diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting peace—before more innocent lives are lost.
