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Fragile Opening

For the first time in months, there are signs that Hamas may be willing to entertain a longer-term ceasefire in Gaza.

Fragile Opening

Representation image (Photo:ANI)

For the first time in months, there are signs that Hamas may be willing to entertain a longer-term ceasefire in Gaza. A proposal of a five-to-sevenyear truce offers a glimmer of hope for a population battered by relentless conflict, siege, and despair. Yet, even amid this tentative opening, the uncompromising realities at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remain stubbornly unresolved. At the core lies the question of arms. Hamas has made it abundantly clear that while it is willing to discuss an extended truce, it will not surrender its weapons. For Hamas, its arsenal is not merely a tactical advantage but a symbol of resistance against what it perceives as on-going occupation and injustice.

From its perspective, disarmament would be tantamount to capitulation without a final settlement on Palestinian statehood or sovereignty. On the other side, Israel remains steadfast in its demand for the demilitarisation of Gaza. For Israeli leaders and citizens, the prospect of a well-armed Hamas surviving any ceasefire is seen as an unacceptable risk, one that could lead to future attacks and instability. The scars of 7 October 2023 are still raw, and the trauma of hostages taken and civilians killed continues to drive public sentiment in Israel toward caution, if not outright hostility, toward any deal that leaves Hamas intact. Yet, a long truce without political progress also carries risks for both sides. It could entrench divisions further, giving rise to new factions even more radical than those negotiating today.

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Without a clear horizon for ending the occupation and establishing a durable political settlement, the truce could simply freeze the conflict, not resolve it. In this grim standoff, civilians are paying the ultimate price. Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe deepens by the day. Displacement on an enormous scale, widespread destruction, and the stifling of aid are creating conditions that will reverberate for generations. If peace negotiations continue to fail, the human toll will not only grow but will likely sow the seeds for future cycles of violence. The idea of a temporary but extended truce is, therefore, both promising and perilous.

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It could offer immediate relief, allowing for the flow of humanitarian aid, the rebuilding of shattered communities, and the return of some semblance of normalcy. But unless it is accompanied by a serious political process addressing the root causes of the conflict ~ borders, sovereignty, security, and rights ~ it risks becoming nothing more than an interlude between wars. Both sides appear trapped in a paradox: neither can achieve their maximum goals without perpetuating the suffering of their own people and the other side’s civilians. Without courage from leaders to imagine a future beyond arms and vengeance, even a years-long truce may prove tragically short-lived. A ceasefire may soon come to Gaza. But true peace ~ one built on mutual recognition, dignity, and security for both Israelis and Palestinians ~ remains heartbreakingly out of reach.

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