Israel quietly consolidating control over Gaza as all eyes on Iran

Israel has stalled the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, using the cover of the Iran war to consolidate control over the Palestinian enclave.

Israeli forces have continued attacks on Gaza for months, despite a ceasefire coming into effect in October last year, with daily artillery and aerial bombings, demolitions, and targeted assassinations of Palestinian leaders.

On Tuesday, medical sources in Gaza said the death toll since October 2023 had risen to 72,134, with at least 171,828 wounded by the Israeli aggression, Wafa news reported.

The same source said that at least 649 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire, with 1,730 wounded, and 756 bodies recovered.

Israel has continued to block aid to Gaza, keeping the Rafah crossing with Egypt closed since 1 March due to "security" concerns, and limiting access through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing.

While carrying out direct violations of the ceasefire, Israel has also ensured that key provisions of the Gaza peace plan remain stalled. 

The civilian administration tasked with taking over Gaza's governance remains unable to enter the Palestinian territory, despite receiving approval from both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

At the same time, the viability of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) outlined in US President Donald Trump's peace plan appears to be in question, with Indonesia announcing recently it may withdraw completely from the force and the self-styled "Board of Peace".

Regarding Gaza's reconstruction, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that it hinges on the disarmament of Hamas. The Palestinian faction has resisted calls for its disarmament, and Israel has failed to 

Ahmed Al-Tanani, director of the Arab Centre for Research and Strategic Studies, told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that global media focus on the Iran war has reduced the political cost for Israel of maintaining a low-intensity war in Gaza.

Al-Tanani added that Israel has relied on a policy of procrastination to gain time, taking advantage of the mediators’ and the United States’ preoccupation with the details, and their keenness to maintain the terms of the agreement.

Now with the outbreak of the war with Iran, Israel has effectively evaded its obligations in Gaza and is working to establish new realities on the ground, without having to slide back into a full-scale war, Al-Tanani said.

Suleiman Bisharat, an analyst and expert on Israeli affairs, believes that Israel is deliberately pursuing a policy of keeping issues, including the Palestinian question, unresolved. According to Bisharat, this allows Tel Aviv to maintain the narrative that it is constantly under threat, and ensures continued support from the United States.