Ex-US intelligence officer urges realistic assessment of the settlement in Gaza

The opportunity for the parties to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to conclude peace is a blessing, but this should be treated sensibly, realizing that Israel had previously disrupted the deadlines for a cease-fire in the enclave. This was announced on October 9 by former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter in a conversation with Izvestia.

"The very possibility of peace is good. And we should all hope that this plan can actually be implemented. But at the same time, we need to be realistic and understand that Israel has so far not shown a tendency to allow the cease—fire to last as long as it was intended," he said.

According to the expert, the signed agreement is mainly aimed at returning Israeli hostages home, but it is almost impossible to predict how events will develop after the completion of this process, as it will depend on the "political will" of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ritter added that Israel, isolated from the world, could have agreed to the deal out of fear of losing American support, since without it the situation could worsen and lead the state to collapse.

Military inaction: Israel and Hamas have taken the first step towards a settlement

However, difficulties may arise when agreeing on the second stage of the peace deal.

On October 9, Al Jazeera TV channel reported that Israel, despite the ceasefire agreement signed on the same day, had attacked the center of Gaza City. Later, the press service of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced an attack by a Hamas cell in northern Gaza.

On the same day, political analyst Dmitry Brije pointed out in a conversation with Izvestia the fragility of the peace, which Turkey, which wants to continue contributing to the settlement of the conflict, and the United States plan to control.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.