The Guardian view on the Israel-Gaza war: politicians must be clear that a ceasefire is needed | Editorial

US presidents once spoke softly and carried a big stick. By contrast, in Gaza Joe Biden speaks loudly and carries a little stick

As western leaders wake up to the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military campaign. More than two-thirds of the dead in the coastal enclave are thought to be women and children. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble. The reputation of the west as a champion of universal values and upholding a rules-based order is unlikely to recover anytime soon from the bloody events in Gaza.

International politics is not a morality play. Probably several Arab countries were not averse to the idea that Israel could deliver a coup de grace to Hamas. But the state of the fighting in Gaza suggested that this was a remote possibility. In January, it was estimated that Israel has killed or captured only around one-third of Hamas's fighting force. To finish the job would only be achievable at an indefensibly high cost to Palestinian - and hostage - lives.

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