By Ciceros.org International Desk
When Donald Trump unveiled his so-called “peace deal”, the applause was loudest among those who had spent two years defending what many describe as a campaign of genocidal devastation in Gaza. “Why aren’t you celebrating?” they asked critics who refused to applaud the spectacle.
At the time of the announcement, observers sympathetic to the Palestinian cause expressed cautious hope that the people of Gaza might finally experience some respite. But few were naïve. They had seen how Israel had previously interpreted the term “ceasefire”, and they had listened to the steady torrent of violent rhetoric from Israeli leaders—statements that made chillingly clear their goal of a Gaza with no Palestinians left alive.
Last night, the Israeli army again struck the battered enclave. Over a hundred Palestinians were reported dead, including at least forty-six children. Yet much of the Western press framed the renewed bombardment as “testing” the ceasefire, a choice of words that drew outrage from rights advocates.
To understand the scale of what happened, consider this: Israel’s population is roughly four and a half times that of Gaza before the war. By that measure, the equivalent attack on Israel would have meant around five hundred dead. Moreover, the number of Palestinian children reportedly killed overnight exceeds the total number of Israeli children who lost their lives on October 7th.
Had Hamas launched a strike killing a hundred Israelis, the reaction from Western governments and media would have been apocalyptic. The ceasefire would not be described as “tested” — it would be declared over. The incident would dominate every front page and broadcast; leaders across Europe and America would hold press conferences condemning Hamas and offering unconditional support to Israel.
Instead, Israel’s latest attack was downplayed. Officials claimed the strikes followed the death of an Israeli soldier, allegedly killed by Hamas, though details remain uncertain. Previous reports have shown that even fatalities within Israel’s own ranks have been misattributed — such as the two soldiers who died in October when a settler bulldozer reportedly detonated unexploded ordnance.
Independent media outlets, including Al Jazeera, estimate that more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire was declared on 12 October. Despite this, mainstream Western coverage has largely failed to treat these incidents as systematic violations of the truce.
Israel had also agreed to allow 600 aid trucks per day into Gaza under the deal. In the first eleven days, a total of just 520 trucks entered — less than one day’s promised quota. Since then, deliveries have remained far below the agreed amount.
Critics argue that Western media institutions have once again failed in their moral and journalistic duty: accepting the dehumanisation of Palestinians as a given, downplaying Israel’s breaches, and reframing atrocities as administrative hiccups in a so-called peace process.
As the bombs continue to fall and Gaza’s ruins deepen, one truth remains painfully clear — without accountability, there can be no peace worth celebrating.
