Israel and Palestine Secure Ceasefire Agreement After 15 Months of Conflict
UNICEF assisting in winterization efforts in Deir Al Balah by distributing winter clothes to families in a displacement shelter. Credit: UNICEF/Mohammed Nateel
By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 16 2025 (IPS)
A ceasefire agreement between the states of Israel and Palestine was reached on 15 January, 2025 , effectively putting an end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip. This comes after nearly 15 months of conflict, which has caused immense damage to Palestinian infrastructure, development, and civilian life. The three-phase plan proposed for the ceasefire agreement consists of the return of Israeli hostages, Palestinian refugees returning home, and the reconstruction of Gaza. Additionally, the ceasefire is expected to essentially put an end to the Israel-Hamas War and significantly mitigate the humanitarian crisis occurring in the Gaza Strip.
In the days preceding the ceasefire agreement, U.S. officials have opined that the possibility of a ceasefire was more likely than ever before. According to U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Israel and Hamas have been close to securing a ceasefire agreement several times in the past but they had always fallen through. Sullivan stated that on January 13, talks between officials had the “general sense that this (ceasefire negotiations) is moving in the right direction.”
I think the pressure is building for Hamas to come to yes, and I think Israel also has achieved a huge amount of its military objectives in Gaza, and therefore, they are in a position to be able to say ‘yes’.The question is now, can we all collectively seize the moment and make this happen?” said Sullivan.
On January 14, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, delivered a speech at the Atlantic Council headquarters that detailed imminent post-war plans for Gaza as the ceasefire approaches. Blinken stated that the war is “ready to be concluded” and that the ceasefire is ready to be implemented. He also addressed the criticism over the Biden administration’s response to the 15-month conflict, saying, “I wish I could stand here today and tell you with certainty that we got every decision right. I cannot.”
Although neither Israel nor Hamas have officially confirmed the news of a ceasefire as of yet, senior Hamas spokesperson Basem Neim informed reporters that Hamas has agreed to it. Other sources with direct knowledge of diplomatic talks between Israeli officials confirmed the news to reporters as well. On January 15, U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump confirmed that the ceasefire agreement had been reached on a social media post shared to the platform Truth Social
According to U.S. diplomatic sources, only a draft version of the deal has been approved by Hamas and Israel, with a revised version to be discussed and finalized in the coming days. The implementation of the ceasefire could begin this weekend.
As President Biden’s term comes to an end, President-elect Donald Trump is expected to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. The first phase of the ceasefire consists of the 33 Israeli hostages in Gaza being freed and returned to Israel within the first 42 days of the agreement being implemented. In return, Israel has agreed to release as many as 1,000 Palestinian refugees from Israeli prisons. Furthermore, Israel will begin withdrawing its troops from Gaza. Once the deal has been finalized by both parties, it is expected that thousands of displaced Palestinians will begin returning to northern Gaza, the most militaristically restricted region of the enclave, and humanitarian aid will begin to flow in regularly.
Additionally, Israel would begin withdrawing its troops from densely populated centers in Gaza while maintaining access to the buffer zone on the Gaza-Egypt border, also known as the Philadelphi Corridor.
The second phase of the ceasefire is believed to be the official marker of the end of the Israel-Hamas War. In this phase, Hamas is expected to release all remaining male Israeli civilians or soldiers while Israel returns an agreed upon number of prisoners.
Although the ceasefire is not guaranteed to be upheld following the completion of the first phase, Israel has indicated in ceasefire documentation that its officials are committed to negotiating the next two phases , which would entail a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory.
In the third phase of the ceasefire agreement, Hamas would return the remains of all deceased Israeli hostages while Israel returns those of the deceased Palestinian captives. Israel would then conclude the blockade of the Gaza Strip and will not rebuild military operations targeting Palestine.
Despite officials from the U.S., Israel, and Palestine expressing optimism for the ceasefire agreement, many have expressed concern over the uncertainty of the ceasefire being fully implemented. “I’ve just been advised that there’s been a ceasefire announced in Gaza. Before we all celebrate, though, obviously we’re all going to want to see how well that executes,” said U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch .
With this agreement, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is expected to improve. Airstrikes from the Israeli Defense Forces are expected to end and the cessation of the blockade in northern Gaza is expected to allow humanitarian aid organizations to access the people that are in dire need of assistance. Abdallah al-Baysouni, a Palestinian citizen residing in Gaza, informed reporters that he and his family are “very happy that this crisis — this sadness, bombing and death that happened to us — is finally over. And that we will return to our hometowns and return to our families in Beit Hanoun [in northern Gaza] … and return to our old lives and be happy and live like we used to.”
IPS UN Bureau Report