A fragile six-week ceasefire in Gaza, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, has ended with both sides refusing to move forward. The agreement was meant to be the first of three phases, but it appears that negotiations between Hamas and Israel have stalled.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a brutal attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis. Since then, there has been an ongoing exchange of fire, with Israel launching retaliatory airstrikes against Gaza. The violence finally subsided in January, when both sides agreed to release hostages and end the fighting.
However, the ceasefire was short-lived, as negotiations broke down on March 1. Israel announced that it would unilaterally halt humanitarian aid into Gaza and threaten more unspecified consequences if Hamas did not agree to an extension of Phase 1 and the release of half the remaining hostages.
Hamas has rejected the new demands and wants to move immediately to Phase 2, which includes the complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The group is eager to end the conflict, as it means a complete Israeli military presence will be lifted and hostilities will cease.
But Israel’s hawkish coalition leaders are opposed to this, citing their goal of destroying Hamas as a fighting force. They also want to maintain a permanent Israeli presence in Gaza, which would be a major obstacle to peace talks.
The US, Egypt, and Qatar have urged both sides to apply maximum pressure to make the guns and missiles silent again. The international community is calling for an immediate ceasefire, and for all hostages to be released and Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza.
In order to move forward with the negotiations, it’s essential that the fighting stops. If moving to Phase 2 proves too difficult, the initial ceasefire should be extended without new conditions. The goal of future negotiations should be to loosen Hamas’ grip on Gaza, rather than eradicate it. Once the conflict is over, talks can shift towards rebuilding the enclave.
The fate of the ceasefire hangs in the balance, and the world watches anxiously as the situation develops.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/03/06/gaza-israel-ceasefire-hamas-hostages