ENGLISH VOICES

The Israeli opposition group Standing Together assessed the ceasefire for Avlaremoz

We asked Standing Together, whom we have interviewed before, about the hostage deal ment and their predictions for the near future. Ido Setter from Standing Together, whom we asked while the agreement was not yet finalized, shared his thoughts with us on the day of the first hostage swap in moments when his eyes ‘filled with tears’.

Eli Haligua: A ceasefire agreement is reportedly close, yet bombings and casualties continue. Do you believe the deal will be finalized?

İdo Setter: I’m answering your questions after 10 hours of ceasefire, while 3 Israeli captives return to their families. Knowing that Gazan people will be able to return safely to their homes, that Israeli captives will return to their families and, yes, that Israeli soldiers are in the process of getting out of Gaza is a great first step in the right direction, that frankly fills my eyes with tears. This is a very emotional time, and we’re getting a glimpse of what our future could look like: filled with life, hope and peace. 

EH: You have supported diplomacy as the only way to secure the release of hostages and end the suffering of the Palestinian people. After 468 days of devastation, how do you reflect on this prolonged humanitarian crisis?

İS: The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is graver than words can express. Innocent men, women and children have no shelter, no food, no fresh water, no active hospitals, no medicine supplies. We now know for a fact that the Israeli government’s policy was to prevent food supplies and humanitarian aid from getting into the Gaza strip, a policy that is cruel and horrendous as well as is, in fact, a terrible war crime. This policy took its toll on innocent Gazans, but also on Israeli society, putting its humanism to the test. Standing Together took action against this policy, and arranged a popular campaign against the starvation policy in Gaza. For almost 3 months thousands of Jews and Arabs donated food products and humanitarian aid supplies, loaded them into trucks and made sure that despite all the difficulties and challenges, they will get into the Gaza strip and be provided directly to Gazans for free. We have started a new campaign for buying winter supplies such as warm clothes, shoes and blankets that will reach Gazans and help them in this difficult winter. We are not willing to turn a blind eye on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and will do everything that’s in our power in order to aid the people of Gaza and fight for the humanism of Israeli society.

EH: What should follow the ceasefire? Do you believe that lasting peace is possible without acknowledge and justice in an environment where Israel is on trial for genocide, violations of international law are taking place, and Gaza’s entire health system has been destroyed?

İS: I believe that a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian people should follow the ceasefire. As I mentioned earlier, the ceasefire is a very good first step in the right direction – and this direction leads to a peace agreement. The cruel war in Gaza must end; All the Israeli captives must return to their families; And we must negotiate a peace agreement. Peace is not only possible, but is inevitable: it is the only thing that can grant real and everlasting security for both people. A major lesson that we’ve learned from the trauma of October 7th, and from the nightmare that followed it, is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be “managed” or “contained”, as the right wanted us to believe, nor can it be resolved by brute force and deportation of the entire Palestinian people, as the far right wanted us to believe. Those are not realistic solutions, because they don’t face the problems that reality presents us. Peace is not only the most moral solution to this bleeding conflict – though it surely is – but also the only viable one. We can – we must! – turn every stone in order to reach a peace agreement. This is the most urgent interest of both people, and this is Standing Together’s main endeavor for the next weeks.