WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump held two private meetings in less than 24 hours this week, signaling what they described as progress toward a Gaza ceasefire. But the ongoing Israeli airstrikes and Washington’s unrelenting military aid have drawn sharp criticism from humanitarian observers and international legal experts.
Netanyahu, following the Oval Office meeting, maintained that Israel would continue its military campaign in Gaza. According to his remarks cited by Reuters, he stressed the importance of ongoing pressure to secure hostage releases. Meanwhile, the same report confirmed that Israeli airstrikes continued across parts of Gaza, including Khan Younis and central areas, during the period of diplomatic engagement in Washington.
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff claimed that three of four hurdles with Hamas had been cleared, dangling a so-called 60-day ceasefire in exchange for 10 hostages and nine bodies. But rights advocates and analysts dismiss the talks as political theater designed to sanitize a brutal campaign. As Gaza endures fresh Israeli bombardment, the idea of peace feels more like a media stunt than a serious negotiation. The ongoing carnage directly contradicts the claimed progress, as confirmed by reporting from the BBC.
Israeli attacks continue as ceasefire terms debated
Despite international pressure to de-escalate, Israeli forces have continued attacking densely populated areas of Gaza. Attacks have been ongoing even during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington. The timing has sparked criticism from rights advocates, who argue that ceasefire negotiations are being used to mask continued aggression.
Despite growing international scrutiny, officials involved in the ongoing negotiations have privately acknowledged that a hostage agreement may be within reach. However, they warn that the continued Israeli assault on Gaza threatens to unravel any potential progress.
The civilian death toll has now surpassed 59,600, with women and children making up the overwhelming majority of the casualties. Aid workers and medical responders describe a territory on the brink of societal collapse, where hospitals function without power, food and clean water are increasingly scarce, and families live under constant threat from the sky. The disconnect between ceasefire diplomacy and the reality on the ground is growing starker by the day.
Washington’s bloody sponsorship of Gaza Genocide
While Trump performs the role of a self-styled so called “peacemaker,” his administration’s unbroken stream of weapons to Israel tells a different story. According to Reuters, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 60 civilians just before Trump’s talks with Netanyahu, with US-made bombs raining down on hospitals, homes, and refugee shelters.
Billions in US arms transfers, including precision-guided munitions, have enabled Israel’s deadliest campaign in Gaza’s modern history. Despite global outcry and warnings from humanitarian agencies like the UN’s OCHA that Gaza is collapsing into unlivable ruins, Washington continues to bankroll Israel’s war. Critics argue this is not passive support, it is active complicity in what many are calling genocide.
Phony ceasefire plan offers no real future for Gaza
According to BBC, the proposed ceasefire includes phased openings of the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, allowing limited humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. However, there is no assurance of a permanent halt to hostilities or a political resolution.
Trump’s envoy also confirmed that discussions include a potential multinational oversight mechanism involving Egypt and the UAE, but no concrete governance plan for post-ceasefire Gaza has been offered. Critics fear that without guarantees, the deal risks becoming a temporary pause rather than a durable solution.
As Netanyahu departs Washington and Trump touts diplomatic success, airstrikes continue, and humanitarian conditions worsen. The gap between political statements and ground realities has rarely felt so vast.
