Skip to main content

Premature to predict implementation of ceasefure between Israel and Hamas

By Vikas Meshram* 
After nearly 15 months of war and several arduous rounds of negotiations, Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire. Amid the ongoing power transition in the United States, where leaders are vying to claim credit for ending the conflict, this agreement offers some respite to the people of Gaza, who have been grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis. Despite repeated efforts by the United Nations and initiatives from Islamic nations in the Middle East, peace talks have yet to yield lasting success. This war has claimed the lives of approximately 50,000 people, and rebuilding the destruction caused across various parts of Gaza might take decades.
While the agreement between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire is significant, predicting its implementation is premature. Following the October 23 Hamas attack that deeply wounded Israel, the latter has grown weary of continuous fighting on multiple fronts. Yet, Arab nations continue to question Israel's credibility. Concerns arise as negotiations often derail before reaching their final stages, and a constant cycle of discussions and attacks persists. The future will determine the sincerity of both parties in adhering to this agreement.
Political opposition and divisions within the Israeli cabinet over the release of hostages persist. However, there is also a demand to provide relief to the Israeli military, exhausted after this prolonged war. Still, the agreement on a ceasefire has rekindled hopes for peace. While incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden and newly elected President Donald Trump are competing to claim credit for this deal, Iran is celebrating it as a victory for Palestinian resistance.
The recent agreement includes an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the phased release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. Additionally, displaced people from Gaza will be allowed to return. However, obstacles to delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza must still be overcome.
On October 7, 2023, a brutal Hamas attack killed 1,200 Israelis, with approximately 250 individuals taken hostage. Israel's retaliation was inevitable, but no one expected the conflict to last 15 months. Although some hostages were released and others died during fighting, the remaining hostages left the Netanyahu government under intense pressure. Hamas claims that Israeli attacks have killed around 50,000 people, as reported by its health ministry. While it is difficult to ascertain the number of Hamas fighters killed, countless women and children have lost their lives in this war. An estimated 2 million people have been displaced by the Gaza conflict, creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Hospitals and schools, considered safe havens for refugees, were also targeted by Israeli strikes. Israel faces allegations of war crimes in the International Court of Justice.
As the situation begins to shift towards peace after a long time, the international community and the United Nations must oversee the agreement's implementation to ensure sustainable peace in the Middle East. War cannot be a substitute for peace. While Hamas initiated the conflict, those who were not responsible for it paid the highest price.
Doubts remain about whether this agreement will provide a lasting solution to the Palestinian crisis. However, the Palestinians, who have endured the horrors of war and the impact of climate shocks, will undoubtedly gain some relief. The ceasefire news brought thousands onto Gaza's streets, hoping for an end to daily bombings and gunfire. Despite lingering uncertainties, disagreements over the details of Israel's partial withdrawal and the list of hostages to be released were resolved at the last moment. The ceasefire officially began on Sunday.
Although this is not the end of the war, halting the violence is a significant relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza. The agreement is expected to be implemented in three phases. In the first phase, Hamas will release 33 hostages, while Israel will free about 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners. In the second phase, further exchanges of hostages and prisoners will take place, and both sides will be required to cease hostilities permanently. The third phase will involve discussions on "the future course," including deliberations on who should govern Gaza.
Currently, both sides are focused on the first phase. Problems may arise when the next stage of negotiations begins. At the onset of this war, Israel set two goals for itself—eliminating Hamas and freeing the hostages. In the 15-month war, Israel weakened Hamas's terrorist infrastructure, but the group has survived and reestablished itself as a rebel force.
According to outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Hamas recruited as many fighters as it lost during the war. Israel's inability to destroy Hamas or aggressively rescue hostages raises serious questions about the IDF's military strategy in Gaza. This could be one reason Benjamin Netanyahu was compelled to accept the ceasefire. However, he has made no commitments to ending the war.
Hamas, on the other hand, demands Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza. Despite potential obstacles, the ceasefire is a welcome development. It provides Gaza with much-needed relief and a platform for further negotiations. Post-war, Israel, Palestinians, and international mediators must work to bridge the gaps.
Israel is unlikely to accept any terms that leave Hamas as a dominant force in Gaza. Establishing a unified administration led by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and focusing on Gaza's reconstruction seems to be a more practical solution. However, for this plan to succeed and peace to prevail, Israel must be willing to withdraw all its forces from the Gaza Strip.
---
*Journalist

Comments

TRENDING

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee  Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar*  Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

EVMs: Govt must prove beyond reasonable doubt it's upholding mandate for free, fair polls

By Jerald D’souza  With the growth of India’s population, concerns about electoral fraud associated with ballot papers, also began to escalate. In 1989, the People’s Representation Act was amended to enable EVMs to prevent electoral fraud. In 1998, EVMs made their debut during legislative assembly elections and for the first time for general elections in 2004. However, criticisms against the EVMs and questions about their integrity have been raised by political parties, civil society and the general population. On 2 February 2024, there was a noteworthy demonstration of dissent where numerous individuals, including Ambedkarite advocates, legal professionals, and other members of civil society  convened at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding the prohibition of EVMs. In 2024, the Supreme court had slapped down a petition to return to paper ballots on the basis that machines give “absolutely accurate results” unless human bias maligns them. The court stated that it was open to testi...

This Indian British Marxist blamed USSR's collapse in 1991 on Khrushchev's 'revisionism'

By Harsh Thakor*  Harpal Singh Brar, British Indian Marxist scholar and communist leader, has passed away in Chandigarh. He was 85. He was a lifelong supporter of socialism, Marxism, and the working class. He will be remembered among British Communists.

A groundbreaking non-violent approach: Maharishi’s invincible defense technology

By MajGen (R) Kulwant Singh, Col (R) SP Bakshi, Col (R) Jitendra Jung Karki, LtCol (R) Gunter Chassé & Dr David Leffler*  In today’s turbulent world, achieving lasting peace and ensuring national security are more urgent than ever. Traditional defense methods focus on advanced weapons, military strategies, and tactics, but a groundbreaking approach offers a new non-violent and holistic solution: Maharishi’s Invincible Defense Technology (IDT). 

Chalapathi's death in encounter suggests Maoists' inability to establish broader mass support

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist movement experienced a significant loss during the Ramagudem encounter on January 21, with the death of Chalapathi (Pratap), a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist). His death, along with 15 others, marks a major setback for the movement. Reports suggest that his location was revealed to security forces through a selfie with his wife.

Why do we mostly resist and refrain from communicating on sanitation topic?

By Nikhil Kumar, Mansee Bal Bhargava* According to UN SDG Progress report (2022), at the present moment no targets for SDG 6 are expected to be met by 2030. In 2022, 2.2 billion people had no access to safe drinking water and 3.5 million lacked safe sanitation. Approximately 50% of the world’s population was reported to have been under resourced in enough water for part of the year and a quarter of that population was living under “extremely high” water stress. Add to it, droughts have affected over 1.4 billion people between 2002 and 2021.

CCG raises concerns over Indian State of Forest Report 2023 in open letter to environment minister

By A Representative  The Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), a collective of former civil servants, has expressed serious concerns over the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 in an open letter to the Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change. The group has criticized the report's delayed release, flawed methodology, and misleading claims regarding the state of India's forests.

Govt of India asked to work for release of 217 Indian fishermen detained in Pakistan since 2021

By A Representative  Members of the fishing communities from Gujarat and Diu, Union Territory, held a press conference in Ahmedabad, urging the Union Government to take proactive measures to secure the release of Indian fishermen currently detained in Pakistan. Presently, 217 Indian fishermen, mostly from Gujarat and Diu, are held in Pakistan’s Malir Jail. Of these, 53 have been incarcerated since 2021 and 130 since 2022.

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.