Even US President Donald Trump promised a “historic dawn of a new Middle East” in his recent visit to the Israeli Knesset. This announcement is an important step in the evolving saga of this long-running conflict in the region. Yet there are still major hurdles to overcome. Trump’s ambitious 20-point ceasefire plan has many unclear details that could pose risks to its successful rollout.
The recently announced ceasefire agreement, negotiated by the United States, spells out what Israel and Hamas need to do to stop fighting. At heart, the unconditional withdrawal of Israeli military forces depends on Hamas’ disarmament. This new requirement raises alarm bells about whether the ceasefire can be sustainable. Hamas will likely have a difficult time identifying or disarming all remaining hostages.
To Israel’s credit, in a goodwill gesture, they released 250 Palestinians. Many of these people had been doing decades-long sentences as part of the ceasefire deal. Most of those released went back to the West Bank, and more than 150 of the rest were expelled to Egypt. This move has generated a range of responses from families and communities directly impacted by the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Even with these advances, families were left stunned and disappointed. Only four of the 28 hostages had been found alive, and devastation hung in the air. The two dead hostages who were returned in coffins are still officially unaccounted for, leaving families to wonder and mourn.
“Anguished families expressed their shock and dismay after the bodies of only four out of 28 hostages were returned from Gaza.” – A family member
The Israeli military claimed to have retaliated against a number of assailants who attacked soldiers conducting operations in the northern Gaza Strip. Such actions were considered a breach of the ceasefire agreement, adding to the fragility of the peace process, to say the least.
“Earlier today (Tuesday), several suspects were identified crossing the yellow line and approaching IDF troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip, which constitutes a violation of the agreement.” – Israeli military
The renewed fighting, rapid escalation, and subsequent ceasefire, renewed hope, aid deliveries started to trickle into the Gaza Strip. Even now, despite an extension of the ceasefire, only two of the seven border crossings into Gaza remain open. This constraint severely restricts access to essential food, water and medical supplies for people living under siege, who are already in critical need.
Antoine Renard, a spokesperson coordinating NGO aid efforts in the territory, shared his hopes for here today. I hope that all the crossings will be open and we’re working hard to ensure that’s the case,” he said. That statement captures the urgency around humanitarian need while the conflict goes on.
President Trump’s address initially inspired expectations that his administration would provide clarity regarding its vision for peace in the Middle East. This sense of urgency was amplified by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who opened the conference by stressing the need to seize this moment. He called it a “ray of light” for peace on the peninsula.
“This is a unique, perhaps last, historic opportunity to achieve a Middle East free of anything that threatens its stability and progress.” – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
For both sides, hopeful statements notwithstanding, considerable obstacles remain. They have to first survive the dangerous thicket of negotiations and commitments that loom over them. Even the most optimistic observers conceded that despite the optimism, the road to lasting peace would take an immense amount of collaboration, patience, and perseverance from all parties.
Local aid worker Olga Cherevko recognized the challenges that lay ahead. “This is going to be a very long struggle… It’s not going to be a cake walk,” she said. Her remarks underscore an often overlooked reality. While we’re thrilled to be moving in the direction of peace, we have a long way to go before we get a complete answer.
