Hamas is set to release the first group of Israeli hostages on Sunday under a fragile ceasefire deal, but ongoing violence and political tensions threaten the agreement’s future. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed this development on Friday, marking a potential turning point in the conflict that has ravaged Gaza for over 15 months.
A Fragile Ceasefire
While the ceasefire deal offers a glimmer of hope, the violence on the ground tells a different story. Israeli warplanes have not relented in their bombardment of Gaza, even after the ceasefire announcement. The Gaza Civil Emergency Service reported that at least 101 people, including 58 women and children, have been killed since Wednesday. This brutal reality raises serious concerns about the actual implementation of the ceasefire. In Khan Younis, a strike on tents housing displaced civilians killed two people and wounded seven others. A local resident, Jomaa Abed al-Aal, lamented, “Life has become an unbearable hell.”
Hostage Release Under Scrutiny
Under the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire deal, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over the age of 50. In exchange, Israel will free all Palestinian women and minors under 19 currently detained in its prisons. The exact number of Palestinians to be released could range between 990 and 1,650, depending on the progress of the hostage release. However, there are suspicions about how many of the hostages slated for release are still alive.
For the first time, Israeli authorities have provided hostage families with the names of those to be freed, but uncertainty clouds their fate. A group representing these families urged Netanyahu to act swiftly, warning, “For the 98 hostages, each night is another night of terrible nightmare. Do not delay their return even for one more night.”
Political Tensions Threaten the Deal
The ceasefire agreement is facing challenges due to political disagreements within Israel. Hardliners in Netanyahu’s coalition have openly criticized the deal, branding it a surrender to Hamas. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has threatened to resign if the agreement is approved, though he claims he won’t collapse the government.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was in agreement, insisting that Israel must return to war after the six-week ceasefire ends to fully defeat Hamas. Despite these threats, a majority of ministers are expected to back the agreement in the upcoming security cabinet meeting. Netanyahu’s office stated, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached on a deal to release the hostages.” But until the cabinet gives its final approval, the deal hangs in the balance.
Regional Instability Casts a Long Shadow
This ceasefire might pause the violence in Gaza, but it does little to calm the broader Middle East, now entangled in this war. The conflict has already dragged in Iran and its proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Yemen’s Houthis, and armed groups in Iraq. Escalating regional instability. The ceasefire’s success depends not only on Hamas and Israel but also on how these external players react.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. The deal includes provisions for increased humanitarian aid, but with continued Israeli airstrikes, its delivery seems unlikely. Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are trapped in a cycle of displacement, hunger, sickness, and cold. For them, the promise of peace feels distant and unrealistic.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza was launched after Hamas-led gunmen stormed Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. This brutal attack gave Israel the justification to wage an all-out war on Gaza. Now, with the war killing more than 46,000 people and displacing nearly the entire population of Gaza, the big question remains: Will this ceasefire lead to peace or simply serve as an intermission in an unending war?
A Deal Hanging by a Thread
The Gaza ceasefire deal, marked by the planned release of hostages and prisoners, offers a fragile hope in an otherwise serious conflict. However, the ongoing violence, internal political divisions in Israel, and the involvement of regional powers threaten to derail this agreement before it even begins. The people of Gaza and the families of hostages can only hope that this deal leads to lasting peace rather than serving as a temporary pause in a war that shows no signs of truly ending.
