No doubt two million in Gaza are relieved that the bombs have stopped falling, for now at least, but a safe and happy life is sadly not in store for them. Although only about 70,000 deaths will be attributed to the war, virtually everyone will have been devastated by the loss of loved ones, disease, life-changing injuries, debilitation and/or psychological trauma. Ninety percent of children are said to have mental symptoms like nightmares, bed wetting or regression of social relations, let alone having lost two years of education. Virtually every hospital, university, sanitation plant and 90 percent of homes have been destroyed. 

Workers in Palestine still won’t be safe 

It is not even certain that hostilities will not restart. Israel is said to have reserved the right to resume fighting if all hostages are not freed within 72 hours, which may not even be logistically possible. Hamas has not actually agreed to disarm and today was said to have mobilized 7,000 armed fighters to patrol areas vacated by Israeli forces (Mondoweiss, 10/11). Israel still has military control of 53 percent of Gaza, even if not actively killing people, and may have promised to release 1,700 prisoners, but they actually hold 11,000, many without charges. There is no agreement to allow heavy equipment to enable rubble clearance or rebuilding, which was also denied after past conflicts. There is no plan to tear down the wall, end Israeli control of all goods and services, or allow freedom of movement to Gazans. The occupation and subjugation of Gaza will continue.

‘Peace deal’ will only benefit bosses’ pockets

This “peace” deal only came about because the rulers of the U.S. and its allied Arab potentates were fed up with Israel causing mass anger among the workers of the world with its genocide, topped off by bombing Qatar, home of a huge U.S. airbase. Moreover, Trump’s real estate cronies, Kushner and Witkoff, will be in a better position to make lucrative deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Whether they will actually create a “Riviera” in Gaza is doubtful, but the U.S. is planning to send 200 U.S. troops and exert ongoing control via a Transitional Authority run by Tony Blair. Meanwhile, expanding settlements and violence in the West Bank are making its annexation into Israel ever closer.

Unfortunately, there is no group in Palestine or the Middle East that is led by the working class with its liberation as its goal. Neither Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, or any other formation is fighting for workers’ power in opposition to capitalists, be they Arab, Jewish or American. For those of us who have been active in the movement against genocide, it means continuing to unite with all workers opposing various aspects of fascism - deportations, cutbacks, attacks on science and academic freedom - and building a unified anti-capitalist movement. Not until there is a new international communist movement that unites Arab and Jewish workers, indeed all workers of the world, will the Palestinians, or any of us, have a chance of a good, safe and productive life.