Is the beginning of the ceasefire the end of the conflict? History only says so sometimes
Is the beginning of the ceasefire the end of the conflict? History only says so sometimes. In the Middle East in particular, sustainability is a fluid concept. In light of the ceasefire in Gaza – which took effect overnight – there are obstacles preventing a real end to the violence. The foundations of peace are based on reconciling seemingly irreconcilable interests and building strength from that fragility.
Khalil al-Hayya, a prominent Hamas leader, said he saw the agreement as a defeat for Israel. However, Israel can say it has achieved success. In the 15 months since Hamas massacred more than 1,200 people in southern Israel and took more than 250 hostage, Israel has killed Hamas fighters and leaders, including its leader in Gaza. It has damaged a large section of Hezbollah in Lebanon and weakened Iran’s position.
But, in doing so, Israel also killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Most of them were civilians, more than 13,000 children. Gaza’s infrastructure is destroyed. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes.
However, the first part of the three-phase ceasefire has begun. It is planned to last six weeks. The missiles will stop, the death and destruction will stop, and hope will seep into the air. Israel will withdraw its forces from populated areas in Gaza. Hamas will begin releasing Israeli hostages.
The first 33 batch will include women, the elderly, and the wounded; Three overnight, four on the seventh day and then three every seven days, and another 14 in the last week of the first phase. For every hostage returned, Israel will release between 30 and 50 Palestinian prisoners.
After 15 months of misery, suffering and enormous loss, it is undeniable that this ceasefire is a ray of light that we hope will prevail where other attempts have not succeeded. The questions that arise in the attempt to bring peace to the region after the ceasefire are another matter. And it comes to this, then what happens?
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First, international aid must begin flowing into Gaza at pre-conflict levels. Normalizing life, as much as possible, also requires a stable form of governance. Israel is firm in its declaration that Hamas should not participate in governing the Gaza Strip – an opinion it holds Herald shares.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken summed up the complexity of the situation by saying that as a result of the war, “Hamas has been able to recruit more new fighters than it has lost, which is a recipe for perpetual insurgency and perpetual war.” .
In a national speech 12 hours before the ceasefire was scheduled to begin, Netanyahu said his country was treating the ceasefire as temporary and reserved the right to continue fighting if necessary. He claimed to have the support of US President-elect Donald Trump, who asked Netanyahu to “keep doing what you have to do.” It is almost certain that Hamas will have the same opinion.
