Israel and HAMAS Agree to a 42 Day Ceasefire Deal

What Happened?

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 42-day ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza.

The ceasefire was originally to take effect on Sunday according to Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani of Qatar, a mediating country.

Despite the breakthrough agreement, both sides were still working on finalizing the details as of today. To be fully implemented the agreement will still have to be ratified by the Israeli cabinet. 

Why it Matters

The ceasefire deal is the result of over a year of negotiations between Israel and HAMAS, which have been mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. It is potentially a major step towards preventing the conflict from expanding into a larger regional war in the Middle East.

According to the Biden Administration, the deal will bring at least a temporary end to the war between Israel and HAMAS and allow for a phased exchange of prisoners between the two combatants.

Initially at least thirty-three Israeli hostages are to be released, accompanied by the return of over a hundred Palestinian prisoners.

The Washington Post reported the details of the new peace deal, which included the following:

• ‘The existing plan is for three hostages to be the first released, a process that will take at least 48 to 72 hours and maybe longer to arrange even after a deal is agreed, said a senior U.S. official Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations.’

• ‘Other hostages in the group of 33 to be released during the initial six-week ceasefire are to be released in groups — the size and composition of which are among the final details still being worked out, the senior U.S. official said.’

• ‘Israel would agree to allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians who have fled Israel’s bombardment in the south of Gaza to return to their homes in the north as long as unspecified security measures are in place.’

Exactly when and how the remaining hostages will be released has not yet been made public, and that is one of the important details likely still being addressed by representatives of Israel and HAMAS. 

The war between Israel and HAMAS began in October of 2023 with a brutal HAMAS terrorist attack on Israel. Since then, the fighting has expanded to include Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, Houthi forces in Yemen, and Iranian forces.

Israel’s military has consistently dealt military defeats to HAMAS and all of Iran’s proxies during this war. The peace deal itself is an indication that HAMAS knows it can’t defeat Israel on the battlefield.  

How it Affects You

The timing of the deal will likely be a political point of contention in the United States, as the outgoing Biden Administration and the incoming Trump Administration vie to claim credit.

While the ceasefire is set to end hostilities between Israel and HAMAS, so far there are no indications the deal includes any major political components designed to address the underlying causes of the war.