The US Envoys in the Middle East: Plenty of Talk but No Clear Answers on Gaza's Future.

Thhese days showcase a quite distinctive situation: the first-ever US parade of the caretakers. They vary in their skills and attributes, but they all share the identical objective – to prevent an Israeli violation, or even demolition, of the delicate ceasefire. Since the hostilities finished, there have been scant days without at least one of Donald Trump’s delegates on the scene. Just in the last few days included the arrival of a senior advisor, Steve Witkoff, a senator and Marco Rubio – all arriving to perform their roles.

Israel engages them fully. In just a few short period it launched a series of operations in the region after the loss of two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops – leading, as reported, in dozens of local fatalities. Several ministers demanded a renewal of the conflict, and the Israeli parliament enacted a initial resolution to incorporate the West Bank. The American stance was somewhere between “no” and “hell no.”

Yet in more than one sense, the American government seems more concentrated on upholding the current, uneasy period of the ceasefire than on moving to the next: the reconstruction of Gaza. When it comes to this, it seems the United States may have goals but few concrete strategies.

For now, it is unclear when the planned multinational oversight committee will effectively assume control, and the same goes for the designated military contingent – or even the composition of its members. On a recent day, a US official said the US would not impose the structure of the international unit on the Israeli government. But if Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet persists to reject multiple options – as it acted with the Turkish proposal this week – what follows? There is also the reverse question: which party will determine whether the forces supported by the Israelis are even willing in the mission?

The question of the duration it will take to neutralize Hamas is just as ambiguous. “Our hope in the government is that the multinational troops is will at this point assume responsibility in disarming the organization,” remarked Vance this week. “It’s may need a while.” Trump further highlighted the uncertainty, saying in an discussion recently that there is no “hard” timeline for Hamas to disarm. So, theoretically, the unnamed participants of this still unformed global force could enter Gaza while Hamas fighters continue to wield influence. Would they be dealing with a leadership or a militant faction? These represent only some of the questions surfacing. Some might question what the outcome will be for average residents as things stand, with the group continuing to focus on its own adversaries and opposition.

Latest events have yet again underscored the blind spots of Israeli media coverage on both sides of the Gaza boundary. Every publication attempts to scrutinize all conceivable perspective of Hamas’s infractions of the truce. And, usually, the fact that Hamas has been stalling the return of the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages has taken over the coverage.

On the other hand, coverage of civilian casualties in the region resulting from Israeli strikes has garnered minimal focus – if at all. Consider the Israeli retaliatory attacks after a recent Rafah event, in which a pair of soldiers were fatally wounded. While local officials claimed 44 casualties, Israeli television commentators criticised the “limited answer,” which focused on solely infrastructure.

That is nothing new. Over the recent few days, Gaza’s media office alleged Israel of breaking the peace with Hamas 47 times since the agreement was implemented, killing 38 individuals and harming another 143. The assertion appeared unimportant to the majority of Israeli media outlets – it was simply missing. This applied to accounts that eleven members of a local family were fatally shot by Israeli troops recently.

The emergency services reported the group had been seeking to go back to their home in the Zeitoun district of the city when the vehicle they were in was attacked for supposedly passing the “demarcation line” that demarcates territories under Israeli military authority. This limit is invisible to the human eye and shows up just on charts and in authoritative documents – not always available to everyday people in the area.

Even that event hardly received a reference in Israeli media. One source mentioned it briefly on its digital site, citing an IDF representative who said that after a questionable transport was spotted, forces fired warning shots towards it, “but the car continued to approach the troops in a fashion that created an direct risk to them. The forces engaged to eliminate the risk, in accordance with the agreement.” Zero casualties were stated.

With such narrative, it is little wonder a lot of Israeli citizens think Hamas solely is to blame for breaking the truce. This belief could lead to prompting appeals for a tougher stance in Gaza.

At some point – maybe sooner rather than later – it will no longer be enough for US envoys to act as caretakers, instructing Israel what not to do. They will {have to|need

Mark Kelley
Mark Kelley

A passionate historian and licensed Vatican tour guide with over a decade of experience sharing the wonders of sacred sites.