��������Ƶ

A ceasefire in Gaza is set to take effect on Sunday and everyone is happy this nightmare might finally be over. But as we approach the “day after,” it is important to highlight what the responsibilities of Israel and the international community are to the people of Gaza.

Everyone is skeptical about whether Israel will comply. The Israeli far right definitely does not want a deal and does not care about the hostages. The country’s media (with the exception of Haaretz) has been taken over by the right and it keeps on spreading misinformation, claiming that Hamas has been blocking the deal.

A deal has now been agreed, but there is no clarity on whether Israel will withdraw from Gaza, which is why Hamas asked for maps. Also, the phase two negotiations will begin  of the ceasefire. Hence, the Palestinians are entering a process without knowing exactly where it will take them. Nevertheless, the Palestinians just want a ceasefire. They deem that anything is better than what they are going through.

Regardless of the political and military details of the deal, the people of Gaza need urgent attention. Society in Gaza is decimated. Though the reported number killed is about 47,000, the real number is likely much higher. A study by British medical journal The Lancet estimates that the final death toll will probably be  higher. Most surviving Gazans have lost family members during the 15-month war. The entire community suffers from malnutrition and trauma.

Humanitarian aid should be allowed to be distributed freely and should be protected by an international force

Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib

The international community, which has been complicit in covering up for Israel, should put pressure on Tel Aviv to comply on several fronts. The first point is to allow humanitarian aid. Throughout the war, Israel has been using hunger as a weapon. It should not be allowed to do that anymore. During the war, it has done everything it can to prevent aid from reaching Gaza, starting with allowing Israeli fanatics to confiscate aid and destroy it at the border. It is also  gangs to steal the aid as it enters Gaza. This is to exonerate itself from any responsibility for such thefts. All these crooked practices should be banned. Whether Israel fully withdraws or not, humanitarian aid should be allowed to be distributed freely and should be protected by an international force.

The second point that should be enforced is not allowing Israel to steal any funds designated for the Palestinians. Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom last week reported that Tel Aviv had “” funds dedicated to the Palestinian Authority. The report claimed Israel used money from “the Norwegian fund” to settle a debt by the PA for the provision of electricity. This is just another way to cover up the theft of funds earmarked for Gaza. After the ceasefire, a huge amount of aid funding will flow into the afflicted Strip to cater for the urgent needs of Gazans. There should be a proper oversight of funds allocated to Gaza. Israel should not be allowed to take any cuts or divert any funds.

Israel should also be coerced into allowing the free flow of information. The ceasefire should be an opportunity to reveal the truth of its Gaza war to the world. Israel should not be allowed to restrict the movement or operation of the media. The world needs to see what Israel has been doing. It has been targeting every source of life of the Palestinians. It has been targeting places of worship. It has even been targeting humanitarian safe zones that were designated as such by the .

The media should be able to freely report the stories it has not been able to cover during the war

Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib

Also, Israel has been targeting everyone of importance in society: doctors, researchers, university professors, poets, athletes and journalists. It wants to destroy society. It tried to eradicate any qualified person, any talent, in Gaza. The media is just beginning to dig deeper into Israel’s crimes. The BBC this week published a report in which it said Israel had struck a “humanitarian zone”  since May. The media should be able to freely report the stories it has not been able to cover during the war.

Israel should also be held responsible for handling the 2 million people who are without housing and live without any proper sanitation or care.

The international community, especially Arab countries, which will be tasked with financing the rebuilding of Gaza, should be aware and vigilant. Israel will try to hide its crimes from the international community. This is an occasion to uncover the “” situation in Gaza, as Pope Francis described it last week. Israel has so far claimed that all the accusations against it are not true. It claims that the number of casualties is being hyped up by Hamas. It claims that it has not been blocking aid, but rather Hamas is stealing it. All these lies should be dispelled. Even Tel Aviv’s allies should push for this, because it will pressure Israel into walking the line. If Israel feels there is no accountability for what it has done, it will repeat the same criminal act again in a few years’ time.

• Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.