For over the timespan of 15 months Israel and Hamas continuously reject proposals for peace. During that time, tens of thousands of Palestinians died. Israeli people mourned their friends and families held hostage in Gaza. Also people around the world protested against the conflict.
On January 15, Israel and Hamas finally agreed to a truce. In a six-week ceasefire, Israel will extract from segments of Gaza and free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas will also release a third of their hostages. Officials hope that the ceasefire will eventually lead to permanent peace, but that depends on whether both sides will work out their own problems later.
The truce went into effect on Sunday, January 19, 2025. “Hamas will release 33 hostages in waves over six weeks. This will include women, children, men over age 50 and sick or wounded people. About 100 hostages remain in Gaza, although about 35 are believed to be dead.” (New York Times)
In comparison, Israel will release about 1,000 palestinian prisoners. Israel will also have to permit more humanitarian aid into Gaza. After a week, Israel will remove its forces from the most inhabited areas in the enclave.
Why now?
An enduring ceasefire has remained elusive since fighting started on October 7, 2023. Three main issues drive both sides to a deal now:
- Israel’s Success
After almost a year and a half of war, Israel has tired its enemies in the area. Israel killed many of Hamas’s leaders and fighters, including the long standing chief in Gaza. It demolished much of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran, which assists Hamas and Hezbollah, has also had losses.
- Two presidents’ efforts
Former president Biden and current president Trump have pressured Israel and Hamas to reach a deal before Biden’s term ends. Biden saw the ceasefire as an important part of his legacy.
As of January 19 Gaza and Israel agreed to a ceasefire. The deal is made of three stages one of which is underway. “Key demands from both sides are being met under this ceasefire, including the return of Israeli hostages, an increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the densely populated areas of Gaza.” (American University)
In the upcoming weeks we will see how this ceasefire will unfold.
Cites –
https://nytimes.com
https://www.american.edu
https://whyy.org
