Will the Gaza ceasefire, reached between Israel and Hamas, bring permanent peace in the war-torn enclave? There are people on both sides, who are not happy with the deal’s conditions, agreed after fifteen months of war. Will they allow the ceasefire to be implemented in letter and spirit or will they use the temporary peace to consolidate their position and hit back, like they have done before?

The ceasefire was mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, who expressed hope that all sides would implement it.

Three Phases Of Gaza Ceasefire

According to the agreement, there will be three phases of the implementation.

Hamas will release 33 hostages, including women, children and elderly people in the first phase, that will last for six weeks.

Israel will set one thousand of Hamas fighters arrested earlier free. However, no one involved in the October 7 attack will be released.

Similarly, people serving jail terms for murder charges would not be allowed to leave.

Gaza Ceasefire: Second Phase

The remaining hostages will be freed in the second phase when further talks for permanent peace measures will be discussed between the two sides.

Hamas stormed Israel, carried out attacks and killed about 1,200 people and took hostage 251 people on October 7, 2023.

It has 94 hostages left with it, But Hamas has said that only 60 of them are living.

It is not known if the dead persons include those, who have been declared missing by Tel Aviv.

Israel will withdraw troops from the Gaza Strip, refugees will be allowed to return to their homes in the second phase as well.

International aides would begin to arrive in the second phase of the ceasefire. Talks for permanent peace will begin after 15 days of the first phase.

Gaza Ceasefire:Third Phase

In the third phase of the ceasefire, the remains of the bodies of the hostages killed in Hamas captivity would be returned. Detail plans for reconstruction of Gaza will be discussed.

There are many questions, which need to be answered.

Gaza Ceasefire: Unanswered Questions

What will happen if the ceasefire is violated? Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Rehman Al Thani has said that the US, Egypt and Qatar will monitor the ceasefire.

No one knows, who will govern the Gaza Strip. Israel has ruled out any possible role for Hamas. But it has also made it clear that it does not want Palestinian Authority to take the reins.

The PA took control of the West Bank and Gaza after the 1995 Oslo Agreement, signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. Fateh won the elections and gained control of the PA in 1996.

However, Hamas ousted the Fateh from the the Gaza Strip in 2006. Fateh still controls West Bank. Fateh has shown interest in taking control of the Gaza Strip, but it is so weak that it is not in a position to capture the area.

Another question begging an answer is- will the Israeli troops vacate the buffer zone, to be made between the Gaza Strip and Israel?

Tel Aviv has no interest in pulling out its soldiers from this area.

The Israel Defence Force has declared vehemently that it will keep its troops in the area even after the implementation of the ceasefire. It wants its control of the area.

Hamas wants the hostilities to end before the hostages are released. Israel is non-committal to this idea.

It has made its intention clear by bombing Gaza, killing 40 people after the ceasefire was announced.

Will Gaza Ceasefire Resolve Palestine Problem?

Political analysts believe, the end of hostilities will not resolve the seven-decade-old crisis, because the war has left more bitterness between the warring sides instead of bridging the gap.

Hamas’s chief negotiator and acting Gaza chief, Khalil al-Hayya, said that “we will not forget, and we will not forgive” the suffering inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza.

Similarly, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the ceasefire “the right move.” However, he said the deal would bring with it “deeply painful” moments and “present significant challenges.”

When Israel attacked the Gaza Strip after the October 7 incident, it declared its intention of destroying Hamas.

Experts believe, that though the militant outfit has received a severe blow, it still can rebuild itself and wage the war again.

It is believed that Hamas will never abandon its policy of “abolishing the Jewish State from the map of the world”.

It will take time to rebuild itself and hit back at the right moment. It will lie down temporarily only to get ready and hit back.

Political observers believe, the victory in the Gaza Strip may further embolden Tel Aviv, which may encroach new areas in the enclave. It may also keep its troops permanently in Gaza and refuse to budge. It may also encourage its rightist forces to be more belligerent and resolute.

The killing of 1,200 Israelis and about 50,000 Palestinians is most likely to make both sides more bitter.