The Gaza Deadlock: Why Peace remains out of Reach

Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' has abandoned its comprehensive 'Gaza recovery plan' in favor of a small pilot project, unlikely to commence before year-end. The original plan, announced in January, aimed to reconstruct the Palestinian enclave, but little progress has been made due to continued Israeli control. The pilot project involves a temporary camp and an International Stabilisation Force, with preparatory work yet to begin.

• The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have continued military operations in Gaza, with over a thousand Palestinians killed since last October's ceasefire, and now control more than 60% of the Gaza Strip.
• Israeli political analysts believe Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is focused on the October 27 general election and seeks to prevent peace progress, as ending the war could highlight his perceived failures regarding the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault.
• US domestic opinion is shifting, with a Pew Research Center poll showing 62% of Americans have an unfavorable view of Israel, a concern for the Trump administration ahead of mid-term congressional elections.
• The article concludes that peace is unlikely, as the Netanyahu government needs the war to continue, and Israel, despite having the greatest capacity to break the impasse, is unlikely to do so, with support for a two-state solution among Israeli Jews having decreased.