Analysis of Gaza Post-Ceasefire (October 2025)
Finkelstein argues that this ceasefire is merely a restoration of the pre-October 7th status quo, with the devastating difference that Gaza is no longer habitable: "The essence of what was agreed upon was a restoration of the status quo ante October 7, 2023... with the one major caveat: Gaza is no more. People are mired in a concentration camp, but a concentration camp devoid of the most basic life-sustaining materials, namely shelter and food."
12/10/20252 min read
Analysis of Gaza Post-Ceasefire (October 2025)
Finkelstein argues that this ceasefire is merely a restoration of the pre-October 7th status quo, with the devastating difference that Gaza is no longer habitable:
"The essence of what was agreed upon was a restoration of the status quo ante October 7, 2023... with the one major caveat: Gaza is no more. People are mired in a concentration camp, but a concentration camp devoid of the most basic life-sustaining materials, namely shelter and food."
1. Destruction of Agriculture and Infrastructure
He points out the deliberate destruction of Gaza’s arable land:
"The agricultural land in the 'green zone' has been destroyed for at least a significant period of time... Israel will continue to turn the screws on humanitarian aid and refuse to cooperate with UNRWA."
2. Critique of the November 17 Security Council Resolution
Finkelstein bitingly criticizes this resolution and the complicity of Arab states:
"This resolution was a complete capitulation to Israel on every point... 70 years of UN history and legal precedents simply evaporated. In this resolution, even the word 'occupation' has vanished."
"The Arab and Muslim states allowed this to happen. Russia and China intended to veto it, but once the Palestinian Authority and the Arab states lined up behind the U.S., a veto became politically untenable for them."
3. The Role of Donald Trump and the "Board of Peace"
He believes Gaza has essentially been privatized:
"This resolution literally gave Gaza to Donald J. Trump personally. The governing body in Gaza is now called the 'Board of Peace,' with Trump named as its head, accountable to no one. There hasn't been anything like this since King Leopold II was given the Congo at the 1884 Berlin Conference."
4. Trump’s Motivation and Normalization with Saudi Arabia
Finkelstein maintains that the primary goal of the ceasefire was to provide political cover for Saudi Arabia:
"Trump’s real motive is money and Gulf investments. The problem for Saudi Arabia was that it couldn't join the Abraham Accords while a genocide was unfolding in real-time. He needed a 'fig leaf' to get Gaza off the front pages of the news."
5. Concerns Over the Far-Right as "Defenders" of Palestine
A particularly striking part of his commentary is the concern that far-right figures are replacing leftist critics:
"The primary spokespersons for Palestinian rights are no longer myself or Mouin Rabbani; they are now the ultra-right in the U.S.—people like Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, and Candace Owens. They are harnessing harsh criticism of Israel to a far-right agenda, which is an extremely troubling development."
"I find it ironic and deeply unsettling that I have been displaced by Tucker Carlson as the main defender of Gaza, given his politics and demagogic capacities."