A truce
Almost
as soon as the war in Gaza began, global leaders began working to stop
it. Over 15 months, Israel and Hamas repeatedly rejected proposals for
peace. In that time, tens of thousands of Palestinians died. Israeli
families grieved for loved ones held as hostages in Gaza. And people
around the world protested against the conflict.
Yesterday,
Israel and Hamas finally agreed to a truce. As part of a six-week
cease-fire, Israel will withdraw from parts of Gaza and free hundreds of
Palestinian prisoners. Hamas will release a third of the hostages it
still holds. Officials hope the cease-fire will give way to a permanent
peace, but that depends on whether both sides will work out thornier
problems later.
Israel’s
government still must ratify the agreement, but officials are treating
it as complete. “We’re handing off to the next team a real opportunity
for a brighter future in the Middle East,” President Biden said,
referring to Donald Trump’s incoming administration. “I hope they take
it.”
What’s in the deal?
The
truce will go into effect on Sunday. Hamas will release 33 hostages in
waves over six weeks. They’ll 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.
Why now?
An
enduring cease-fire has remained elusive since fighting started on Oct.
7, 2023. (One truce lasted for a week in 2023.) Three main issues drove
both sides to a deal now:
1. Israel’s successes:
After nearly a year and a half of war, Israel has weakened its enemies
in the region. It killed many of Hamas’s fighters and leaders, including
the group’s longtime chief in Gaza. It destroyed much of Hezbollah in
Lebanon. Iran, which supports Hamas and Hezbollah, has also suffered
losses, particularly the fall of an allied regime in Syria. With those
wins, another attack like the one on Oct. 7 is less likely, achieving
one of Israel’s goals in the war.
2. Two presidents’ efforts:
Biden and Trump have pressured Israel and Hamas to reach a deal before
Biden’s term ends. Biden saw an armistice as an important part of his
legacy. Trump wanted to avoid having to deal with such a difficult issue
as president. Both presidents’ teams worked together in negotiations,
and the final agreement broadly follows a framework Biden proposed in
the spring. (My colleague Peter Baker wrote about the joint effort here.)
3. Domestic pressures:
Within Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s critics say he has
not done enough to free the hostages. Within Gaza, Palestinians have
become frustrated with Hamas and demanded peace as the humanitarian
crisis caused by the war has worsened. These pressures pushed Israeli
and Palestinian leaders to negotiations.
What’s next?
Israel’s
government will most likely ratify the agreement today. After it takes
effect on Sunday, both sides will have to live up to their promises. If
they don’t, the cease-fire could fall apart and fighting could begin
again.
If
the truce holds, negotiators plan to work out a more lasting peace deal
in the next six weeks. The terms of a potential agreement remain
unknown, although Israel’s support might depend on the release of all
remaining hostages. Those negotiations will happen under Trump.
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