A ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and Gaza, which will lead to the release of 33 hostages and a pause on the war after 15 months. Qatar and the US first announced the deal on Wednesday, but was only approved by the Israel cabinet and set to take place on the following Sunday. This is the second ceasefire reached throughout the war, and it will consist of two phases. The first phase will focus on the release of hostages, and the second phase is to be negotiated within the next six weeks, and most likely will consist of the release of all the male soldiers held hostage. However, Gaza doesn’t plan to release their male hostages until Israel fully withdraws from the war.
This is significant because creating peace could lead to more regional stability, a major decrease in violence, and lead to possible political negotiations and ramifications. If the war continues, it could become a more significant regional conflict, as other states may become involved. For example, Hamas has received expressed support from Hezbollah and Iran, adding to the regional tensions. The violence could also spread to neighboring countries, like Lebanon or Syria.
As international stakeholders and mediators, the United States and Qatar should continue to push for peace talks, find a way to make the ceasefire last, and ultimately bring the war to an end. Other international actors can offer humanitarian support for those civilians who’s faced loss. Other regional actors like Egypt or Iran can use their regional influence to encourage long term solutions to the war.
If I were to connect this to the idea of geopolitics, the war connects to the expansion of sovereign territory and the growth of influence in the non-recognized Palestinian state. In Palestine, Hamas views Gaza to be the capital of their future state, and is fighting for that territory and legitimacy. Israel sees Hamas as a national security threat as they wish to expand the Islamic state in Israel, therefore, they are protecting their sovereign territory.