A bleeding Gaza puts the world to shame

After over six weeks of bloodshed, the people of Gaza were eagerly waiting for some relief from the Israeli oppression amid reports that Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce. Unfortunately, that truce, set to begin on Thursday, was delayed for one day, meaning an additional 24 hours of bombings, injuries and deaths in the strip. We have to ask: don't the Palestinians even deserve this much mercy?

The reason behind the delay has been unclear. While one Israeli official reduced the issue to "fairly minor implementation details", a Palestinian official pointed to "last minute" complications over which hostages would be released and how. Whatever it may be, this shows once again how ineffective ongoing measures have been in addressing the plight of innocent Palestinians.

The truce—mediated by Qatar, with the involvement of the US and Egypt—was brokered on the condition that Hamas would release 50 of the 237 people it abducted since October 7 while Israel would let go of 150 Palestinian prisoners. On the surface, this deal may seem balanced, but it is far from it. Israeli authorities said they would extend the pause by one day for every 10 additional hostages released by Hamas, but did not mention whether more Palestinian prisoners, out of the thousands, would be released in exchange. The difference of power between the occupier and the occupied is on clear display. That being said, these four days are crucial in a crisis of this magnitude, allowing the flow of more humanitarian aid for the 1.7 million displaced Gazans.

While we can hope for better days, the Palestinians, who have already witnessed over 14,000 deaths, may continue to helplessly watch bombs dropped from above. Israel's prime minister has clearly announced that his country will carry on with its onslaught following the temporary truce. Israeli soldiers, tanks, and other military infrastructure continue to be in place, meaning that peace for Gazans still remains a distant possibility.

Although, during this time, many families will have the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones, this is definitely not enough. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, four days are inadequate to expand aid operations. What we need is clear: a ceasefire. How long before the leaders of the "civilised world" can ensure that?