Confirmation of a ceasefire and hostage release deal couldn’t have come a moment sooner for the more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza who have been living in a war zone for the last 15 months. The same can be said of the families of the hostages, who have prayed day after day for their loved ones to return home from a hellish captivity. The first day of the ceasefire was announced to be Sunday, although things have been complicated by the fact that shortly after the deal was announced, Israel said it is delaying a cabinet meeting to approve the agreement, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing Hamas of creating a “last-minute crisis” by “reneging” on parts of the agreement, though he did not offer details about his claim.
While the text of the deal hasn’t been released yet, the framework appears exactly the same as what President Joe Biden proposed in May — a three-stage agreement whereby the war pauses for six weeks, some hostages in specific categories are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, Israeli troops gradually withdraw from Gaza, and negotiations on a permanent end to the war commence. Hamas will reportedly release 33 hostages during the first phase of the deal in return for Israel’s releasing roughly 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails. Israeli troops will also withdraw from populated areas in Gaza during this time, including from the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the territory, which will allow Palestinian civilians displaced from the north to return to their homes. And although Israeli troops will continue to hold on to the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border during the first phase, the Israel Defense Forces will eventually pull out of the area once all the hostages are released.
Ultimately, it’s far too early to know who deserves credit for this ceasefire. President-elect Donald Trump, however, isn’t waiting for history to write its verdict. Immediately after the agreement was clinched, Trump took to social media to declare victory: “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.”
While Trump’s critics might roll their eyes at these characteristic boasts and delusions of grandeur, there is some evidence supporting the notion that Trump’s return to the White House contributed to Netanyahu and Hamas finally coming to terms. The evidence thus far is only circumstantial, but it’s nonetheless there: The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the negotiations, reported that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, helped put pressure on Netanyahu earlier in the week, which may have urged the Israeli premier to approve the compromises necessary to end the war. A diplomat briefed on the ceasefire negotiations seemed to second that interpretation, telling The Washington Post that Trump’s team placed “real pressure” on Israeli negotiators to take yes for an answer. Following the announcement, Netanyahu’s office posted that he had thanked Trump for his assistance in brokering the release of Israeli hostages. Some of the families of the hostages have also given Trump at least partial credit, writing, “We feel hopeful that under President Trump’s leadership, every last hostage will come home.”
Author
Daniel
DePetris
Fellow
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