Ramallah, June 2: Despite multiple ceasefire agreements in Gaza, Lebanon and between the United States and Iran, fighting across the Middle East continues, raising questions about the effectiveness of the truces and stretching the meaning of the term “ceasefire.”
In Gaza, a ceasefire reached in October and hailed by US President Donald Trump ended two years of large-scale war and secured the release of all remaining hostages taken by Hamas during its October 2023 attack.
However, little progress has followed. Hamas has refused to disarm, Israeli troops have expanded rather than reduced their presence, reconstruction has not begun, and plans for a new Palestinian administration and international stabilisation force remain stalled.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in difficult conditions in tent camps. Israel and Hamas blame each other for violating the agreement.
Palestinian officials say Israeli strikes since the ceasefire have killed at least 932 people, while Israel argues it retains the right to target perceived threats. Israeli forces now control around 60 per cent of Gaza and have indicated they may seize more territory.
In Lebanon, an April ceasefire has also failed to stop hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Fighting has continued mainly in southern Lebanon, where Israel has expanded its military presence. Over the weekend, Israeli troops captured the historic Beaufort Castle, marking their deepest incursion into Lebanon in 26 years. Hezbollah responded with deeper rocket attacks into northern Israel.
Although Hezbollah did not formally endorse the ceasefire, it said it would respect it if Israel halted attacks and withdrew its forces. Israel insists operations will continue until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to northern Israeli communities.
Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any broader agreement with the United States. Meanwhile, the wider ceasefire involving the US, Iran and Israel remains fragile. The agreement was intended to end regional hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
However, tensions persist as Iran has maintained restrictions on the strait while the US continues a naval blockade. Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief have stalled.
Both sides have exchanged military strikes in recent weeks. On Monday, the US said it struck Iranian radar and drone sites after Tehran downed an American drone, while Iran claimed to have launched missiles at US forces in Kuwait. The continued clashes highlight how ceasefires across the region have reduced full-scale warfare but failed to deliver lasting peace or political solutions. (AP)
