Halimah Yacob: Gaza ceasefire proposal without Palestinian voice lays a shaky foundation for peace

Former Singapore president Halimah Yacob has voiced concern over the latest ceasefire proposal for Gaza, warning that it lacks legitimacy and risks repeating the failures of previous agreements. In a Facebook post on Sunday (5 October), she said it was “so painful to watch” a repeat of ceasefires where defenceless and starving Palestinians continued to be killed. She recalled that the last ceasefire collapsed in March when Israel broke the agreement, only a few months after it had begun. “A ceasefire proposal where no Palestinian voice is represented and the only firm dateline is the release of Israeli hostages, with no reference made to relevant UN resolutions, lays a shaky foundation for a durable peace,” Halimah said. She added that the two-state solution had once again been rejected. Halimah also drew attention to the scale of destruction in Gaza, citing estimates that more than 90 per cent of the enclave now lies under some 50 million tonnes of rubble. “The death and devastation are inhumane and beyond belief,” she said.

Deadly strikes despite calls for restraint

Halimah’s remarks followed reports that dozens of Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza on 4 October, despite a call from US President Donald Trump for Israel to halt its bombing after Hamas partially accepted a ceasefire proposal. Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli forces launched dozens of air strikes and artillery shelling on Gaza City even after the partial acceptance was announced. At least 36 people were killed in bombardments since Trump urged Israel to halt its attacks late on Friday. Eighteen people died in scattered incidents, while another 18 – including children – were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City, medics reported. The overnight attacks also reportedly destroyed around 20 homes. On Sunday (5 October), at least 24 more Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops, according to sources quoted by Al Jazeera Arabic. Among the victims were four asylum seekers shot near an aid distribution centre north of Rafah, the Nasser Medical Complex said. Al Jazeera correspondents reported that Israeli attacks continued across central Gaza, including areas where displaced civilians had sought refuge, as well as in Gaza City, where heavy ground fighting has taken place in recent weeks. The Israeli military said its strikes targeted Hamas militants posing threats to its troops, adding that reports of civilian casualties were “under review”. It expressed regret over civilian deaths and stressed it sought to minimise such risks “as much as possible”.

Trump’s peace plan and Egypt talks

Trump last week unveiled a 20-point plan to end the Gaza war, presented during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House. The plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of captives within 72 hours, the disarmament of Hamas, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. On Friday (3 Oct), Hamas said it had given partial acceptance to the proposal, which included ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal, and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, of whom 20 are believed to be alive. Israel and Hamas are expected to meet in Egypt on Monday (6 October) for further negotiations, with hopes rising that a deal could soon be reached. Netanyahu’s office confirmed that a delegation led by top negotiator Ron Dermer will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, while Hamas representatives have already arrived. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is also due to attend, according to Egyptian officials. Talks will centre on the proposed exchange of all remaining hostages for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the move, calling it “the closest we’ve come to getting all of the hostages released.” According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began on 7 October 2023, including at least 19,424 children.