Palestinian Factions Reject Gaza Truce without Firm Guarantees

The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces, a coalition of factions, issued a statement warning that a ceasefire without binding commitments would entrench, rather than end, Israel’s military presence in Gaza.

The group reviewed reports of a proposed truce that includes disarming Palestinian resistance and returning Israeli captives without securing an end to Israeli military operations or a complete withdrawal from Gaza.

“This proposal lacks guarantees to halt the genocide or ensure a full withdrawal,” the statement said.

The coalition condemned the emphasis on neutralizing the resistance’s “rudimentary defensive weapons,” while “the US continues supplying Israel with lethal weapons and heavy bombs dropped on our defenseless people.”

The committee characterized Gaza as a strategic security buffer for Egypt, describing Palestinians there as a “vanguard” for Egyptian defense, while Egypt is portrayed as a strategic depth for Palestinians.

It warned that any ceasefire lacking firm commitments to halt hostilities, lift the siege, withdraw Israeli forces, and begin reconstruction would simply prolong occupation.

The factions urged mediators and the international community to pressure Israel, which they accused of “historically reneging on agreements.”

The statement described Israel’s current approach as a “major deception,” accusing it of pushing for the disarmament of “the victim” while dodging a three-phase deal Palestinians had previously accepted.

On Monday, Egyptian media reported that Cairo conveyed an Israeli proposal for a permanent ceasefire to Hamas, which is currently reviewing the offer.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said “intense negotiations” were ongoing to secure the release of captives held in Gaza, following his decision to abandon a prior ceasefire agreement, according to a statement from his office cited by Maariv newspaper.

Israel estimates 59 captives remain in Gaza, with 24 confirmed alive.

Meanwhile, over 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, where rights groups report torture, starvation, and medical neglect have caused multiple deaths.

A ceasefire agreement brokered in January by Egypt, Qatar, and the US was later broken when Israel resumed military operations on March 18.

According to Israeli media, Netanyahu scrapped the deal’s second phase under pressure from his government’s far-right members.

Israeli defense minister Israel Katz stated Wednesday that Israeli forces will remain in designated “security zones” in Gaza in both temporary and permanent scenarios.

“Unlike in the past, the (Israeli army) is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” Katz said.

He added that these buffer zones would separate “the enemy” from Israeli communities, similar to deployments in Lebanon and Syria.

Katz acknowledged that Israel has displaced hundreds of thousands in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 and expanded its territorial control within the enclave.

He further stated that no humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza, calling the aid blockade a key pressure tactic to prevent Hamas from leveraging relief among the population.

Since March 2, Israeli forces have sealed Gaza’s crossings, preventing essential supplies from entering.

The Israeli military resumed its genocidal offensive on March 18, ending a brief truce and prisoner exchange that had been in place since January.

At least 51,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed since Israel’s assault on Gaza began in October 2023.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.