The news that a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas has been greeted with great Hurrahs in the diplomatic world, Malta included.

But, with both sides claiming victory, it leaves the people of Gaza none the better. Gaza, a place where there are 1.8 million people living on a strip of arid coastal land with an area of 360km. To put it into perspective, that is almost four times as many people living in more or less the same area of Malta and Gozo. For months, these people have had to try and escape bombings on an almost daily basis – except there is one problem... there is nowhere to run to.

Things in the Middle East are looking worse than they ever have in modern history. The Islamic State threat must already be worrying other ‘stable’ nations that are in the vicinity. Syria is now a three way war between Assad’s forces, Free Syria and IS. The mere fact that France has mentioned (although it dismissed) the possibility of joining Assad as a partner against IS speaks volumes. It means that the idea – somewhere – is being considered.

IS also threatens the South and West of the Middle East. It could easily strike out at Lebanon, Israel and Jordan, if the ideology continues to permeate through the region.

If it manages to get through to Palestine, then one wonders what could happen. Hamas is not a legitimate entity. It’s actions have continued to put its people in peril – at the mercy of Israel’s huge military muscle. But at the same time, Israel’s actions have been completely disproportionate and belligerent in nature. Both are to blame for the 2,000-odd deaths in the region.

Gaza is, and has always been the world’s largest open prison. At present, their people have no way of getting in or out. Imports are severely restricted and its fishermen can barely leave the shore to provide much needed food.

It is – in essence – an echo of the ghettos of Eastern Europe during WWII. People cannot live like that. Not in 2014, not in the 1940s; not ever.

Malta – amongst others – supports the two state solution. An independent Palestine and Israel. But who has the will? Who will push for this solution? Israel rightly says that it has the right to protect its borders. So go, withdraw, protect. If one may put a hypothetical scenario forward here. Free Syria and Assad are already looking (along with the Peshmerga) to fight a common front against IS. If IS were to make it to Gaza and/or the West Bank while Israel continues with the status quo, Palestinians would flock to it as liberators. But if Israel let go of Palestine, then the danger of IS would have to be countered by the two together. IS knows no borders – it is based on extreme fundamentalist Islam, it will swallow all that it can. If Israel were to work with its Arab neighbours to counter this massive threat – then peace in the region may finally be found. It sounds farfetched, but it could very well end up being a very real situation – one which could work.