The ceasefire and hostage release between Isreal and Hamas is a huge step in the peace direction
So what was agreed and implemented?
-
As part of the agreement, Hamas will release the remaining living Israeli hostages. Check.
-
In return, Israel will free a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees (including 250 prisoners with life sentences and 1,700 held without charge) as part of the exchange. Check.
-
Israel has ratified the ceasefire deal, and troops are to withdraw to an agreed line while hostages are released within a 72-hour timeframe. Check
-
Humanitarian aid to Gaza will increase, with hundreds of aid trucks expected daily. Check
What is still unresolved?
-
Disarmament of Hamas: The deal’s full enforcement requires Hamas to be disarmed, but that component is not clearly spelled out yet in the phases that have been agreed.
-
Long-term governance of Gaza: How Gaza will be governed after the deal remains unresolved (e.g. whether a technocratic body or international security oversight will be installed) is still part of ongoing negotiations.
-
Whether the ceasefire will hold: Historical precedent in this conflict shows that ceasefires are fragile. Some analysts warn that this “first phase” deal may not be a lasting peace, but rather a pause or step toward broader agreement.
-
Full implementation timetable and verification: Key details—like exactly when all terms go into effect, mechanisms for verification, and what happens if one side violates the deal—are still being worked out in negotiations.
Overall — the Israel-Hamas deal is “real” in the sense that both sides have officially agreed to a first phase ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange.
But there will be some details to be ironed out which could cause obstacles. Many of the most difficult issues (security guarantees, disarmament, governance, long-term stability) remain open to negotiation and subject to adherence by both sides.
Nevertheless, it is human nature to grow comfortable with the status quo — even when that status quo includes war, conflict, and scarcity. Over time, people can lose sight of what a better reality might look like. Peace, however, stands in complete contrast to war, and bridging that divide is no small task for either Israel or Hamas. Still, perhaps this first taste of peace will awaken a deeper desire — a recognition that there can, and should, be more of it.
Similarly, on a broader scale, conflict often breeds more conflict — it becomes a mindset, almost a reflexive, Pavlovian response. In the U.S., for instance, political divisions have hardened to the point where if one party proposes an idea, the other instinctively rejects it. Votes often split cleanly along party lines — 100% one way, 100% the other. What was once a process of debate and compromise has turned into a competitive game of party versus party. Meanwhile, it’s the public that bears the cost of this gridlock, as opportunities for cooperation and progress are lost to partisanship.
Internationally, Russia, China, US remain at war. Bombs are not flying but Trump said that the US may supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles at the expense of escalation, but does it need that for peace?
I hope not. I hope there is solutions to problems. I hope that peace begets peace, and the trend of conflict/war begets conflict/war is stopped.
It is a hope, but hope can lead to great things…
