Opinion Express View: In Gaza, first steps to peace

Extraordinary scenes of celebration played out in Gaza and Tel Aviv on October 9 — dancing, clapping, fireworks, celebratory gunfire, tears of joy. After 734 days of war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel and followed by an Israeli retaliation that unleashed death and destruction on a scale that drew widespread global condemnation, there is a long-awaited flicker of hope. Both sides announced Thursday that they had agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire deal. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, clarified that the agreement would take effect only after cabinet approval. The exchange of a number of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners is to take place within 72 hours of the deal’s implementation. The agreement was announced on social media by US President Donald Trump, whose 20-point plan, backed by Arab states, compelled Israel and Hamas to re-enter indirect talks in Egypt this week. He has indicated that he may travel to Egypt to oversee what could be the greatest diplomatic achievement so far of the US President’s second term.

Trump’s plan appears viable for now due to pressures on both sides. Israel faces growing international isolation for its war that has killed at least 66,000 Palestinian people and catalysed a famine in parts of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu, a master of political self-preservation, has been on the receiving end of mounting domestic anger over his failure to bring back the remaining hostages. He likely believes he can withstand a backlash even if his far-right allies threaten to quit his government over the agreement. Hamas, meanwhile, has been unable to inflict damage on Israeli forces in Gaza and has been pressed by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to make concessions. Both sides, therefore, may think they gain more from the deal than from continuing hostilities.

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For all the optimism and hope, however, there are reasons to proceed with caution. The current stage is reminiscent of the January ceasefire, which collapsed within weeks after Netanyahu unilaterally abandoned the agreement and renewed Israel’s offensive. For any ceasefire to hold, Trump will need to lay down the line for his Israeli counterpart, who has displayed his penchant for disruption, most recently in Qatar. Then there are the known unknowns: It remains unclear how much territory Israeli forces will relinquish, whether Hamas will truly disarm, and what governance in Gaza will look like after the war. Most importantly, peace cannot — and should not — be pursued without prioritising the rights of the Palestinian people. India, too, must play its part in ensuring that the current path leads to eventual self-determination and statehood for Palestine, because that remains the safest bet for the region’s long-term security.