We are Elated, but Israel must be held accountable : Shared by Robert Cohen

 

We Are Elated by the Gaza Ceasefire News. Now, the World Must Hold Israel to Account for 2 Years of Genocide

By Diana Buttu — Zeteo
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Summary
In this deeply personal essay, former Palestinian peace negotiator Diana Buttu reflects on the emotional relief brought by the Gaza ceasefire, juxtaposed with profound grief and lingering fear. She writes that Palestinians are “elated and relieved” that the bombing has stopped after two years of relentless assault but emphasizes that the suffering, loss, and trauma are immeasurable. Buttu describes how Palestinians endured continuous bombardment, displacement, and global indifference, forced to “shield one another from unending gaslighting and dehumanization.”

While grateful that the killing has ceased, Buttu insists that the world must now confront Israel’s actions and ensure accountability for what she calls two years of genocide. She warns that any peace or reconstruction effort that ignores justice or accountability will only perpetuate the cycle of violence. For Buttu, the ceasefire offers a moment to grieve and to seek truth—not to forget or absolve.

Quotes

• “No one is happier that Israel’s bombs will stop than Palestinians. No one.”

• “We can finally start to try to locate and bury our dead, collecting our loved ones from beneath the rubble.”

• “Every day, for two years, we have held one another… shielding one another from unending gaslighting and dehumanization.”

• “We have watched the most sophisticated technology transformed into the most merciless killing machines, shredding children’s bodies with cruelty I never imagined.”

• “I am elated and relieved that it may be over. We all are. I can breathe. We can breathe. Yet, I am worried.”