A ceasefire deal has reportedly been reached between the Palestinian resistance and Israel, which could lead to the ending of the horrific and genocidal carnage being exacted against the Palestinian people. The Communist Party USA, along with all peace-loving and democratic-minded people, support this development and welcome the exchanging of prisoners. But the deal is not yet ratified as Israel’s Cabinet refuses to meet on the issue.

The bombing has not yet ceased. Innocents are still dying. A complete and immediate end to the genocide must be secured. This involves the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian national territories, as well as upholding the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people — including a fully sovereign Palestinian state within the borders as they stood on June 4, 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital, as per the relevant UN resolutions. All hostages must be released. The right of return for all Palestinian refugees must be ensured.

We call for the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza to be upheld and implemented without delay or obstruction, including the arrest warrants of Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity.

After sixteen months, over 45,000 Palestinians (and likely far more) have been killed, the majority of whom are women and children. Some 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often displaced multiple times, currently face dire conditions. Tens of thousands of homes are destroyed, and hospitals barely function. There is now a threat of famine in northern Gaza, where Israel’s rampant bombardments have displaced tens of thousands of residents.

A ceasefire could have been implemented over a year ago, but the Biden Administration continued to provide political cover, as well as billions of dollars in military support, for a genocide, and vetoed multiple UN Security Council resolutions aimed at achieving a ceasefire. As recently as last week, the Biden Administration gave another $8 billion in military aid as a parting gift to the Netanyahu regime. Our government has even violated its own laws, such as the “Leahy Laws,” that prohibit U.S. funding to foreign militaries when there is credible information that they have committed a “gross violation of human rights.”

The oil and gas industry, as well as weapons contractors, also bear great responsibility for U.S. foreign policy in the region. They intend to exert permanent control over the Middle East for the sake of “energy security.” We must fight to bring U.S. foreign policy into the hands of the people. A people’s foreign policy would cut military budgets, transition to renewable energy sources, and move away from our war-economy.

As Israel prepares to annex the Palestinian West Bank — a “great opportunity” after Trump’s victory, in the words of the fascist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — the peace movement must continue to struggle against all incursions and violations of Palestinian national rights.

The MAGA right, financially backed by the oil and gas lobby, as well as by the Christian nationalist movement, has committed itself to support the creation of the “greater Israel” project. Any ceasefire deal brokered by these forces must be viewed with suspicion. If Trump and his minions successfully broker a ceasefire deal, it is because they are caving to popular pressure. We must build people’s movements capable of permanently taking the power to decide foreign policy away from the monopolists.

The Communist Party USA will work toward this end, building and mobilizing the progressive and popular democratic forces to fight for peace and justice, to hold our government accountable for its part in the bloodshed, and to call for reparations to Palestine, administered by the United Nations.

Image: Palestinians celebrate after hearing news of the truce agreement with Israel. Photo by EPA Images via freemalaysiatoday.com.

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