November 28, 2024
By Nasser Kandil
• Many questions have arisen about Gaza’s situation following the ceasefire on Lebanon’s front. These are worthy of discussion, even though some are deliberately framed to undermine the credibility of the resistance in Lebanon, accusing it of abandoning its commitment to supporting Gaza. Such accusations ignore the extensive sacrifices the resistance has made, the scale of its contributions, and the uniquely challenging circumstances Lebanon faces. The confrontation has escalated into a war of destruction threatening all of Lebanon, amidst significant opposition from many Lebanese factions to the concept of “unity of battlefronts”, arguing that Lebanon cannot bear the cost. Over the past year of conflict, the resistance has endured substantial sacrifices within its structure and its community to prevent the war’s repercussions from spilling into Lebanon’s core.
• Regardless of this context, the effects of the ceasefire on Lebanon’s front have started to emerge positively for Gaza, contrary to initial negative expectations. The ceasefire has sparked increased international calls for a similar agreement to end the war on Gaza. Global media attention, previously dominated by the two-month war waged by the occupying entity on Lebanon, has shifted back to Gaza. – This has rekindled global public opinion’s sympathy with the plight of the Palestinian people, evident in reports from human rights and health organisations and appeals by international bodies to address Gaza’s dire humanitarian and health crises.
• The ceasefire in Lebanon has also reinvigorated domestic pressure within the occupying entity, particularly among families of prisoners, to demand a prisoner exchange deal that could bring an end to the war on Gaza. Before the Lebanon war, demonstrations calling for such a deal had swelled significantly, with a massive protest involving half a million people in mid-July. Analysts in the occupying entity suggest that one of Netanyahu’s motivations for initiating the war on Lebanon was to deflect from these escalating protests, particularly after polls revealed a sharp drop in support for the war on Gaza – falling to 20% compared to 69% support for the war on Lebanon. The end of the Lebanon war is now expected to revive the prioritisation of ending the Gaza war and achieving a prisoner exchange agreement.
• In the coming days, it may become evident that the firepower-based support for Gaza from Lebanon has paved the way for a new form of support, enabled by the cessation of hostilities.
