US Declares Ceasefire 'Phase Two' While Israel Kills 8 in Gaza – Again
While Al Jazeera dutifully reports on Israel's latest strikes on family homes in Deir el-Balah, killing eight Palestinians, the U.S. State Department assures us that 'phase two' of a ceasefire deal (originally announced weeks ago) has launched. One might wonder if 'ceasefire' has a new, rather elastic definition—perhaps it's a ceasefire for everyone except the Palestinians being bombed. This isn't
newfound diplomatic doublespeak. Netanyahu's government has a long history of declaring 'calm' while escalating violence, a pattern seen following supposed ceasefires in 2009, 2012, and 2014. It appears Washington's commitment to peace is measured in press releases, not actual cessation of hostilities. How many 'phases' of a 'ceasefire' can there be before it simply becomes a prolonged,
euphemistically branded assault? The optics are certainly… unfortunate, for anyone still clinging to the idea that the U.S. is a neutral broker. Or perhaps 'phase two' is merely a technical upgrade to the bombing campaign, now with added rhetorical flair.