Editorial | Gaza ceasefire must be followed up with recognition of Palestine
Amid numerous sticking points, if Israelis and Palestinians are to live together in peace, there must be a two-state solution
But it says something about dashed hopes of past peace bids that optimism is tempered with caution. Potential sticking points remain in the first stage of what, hopefully, is a lasting peace process, such as details of prisoner exchanges. Encouragingly, Israel has claimed the ceasefire is already in effect as its troops begin withdrawing.
Events moved quickly, in 24-hour cycles, once mediators of indirect talks in Egypt between Israel, Hamas and the US announced the agreement on Thursday. The Israeli cabinet approved it a day later. This cleared the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza within another 24 hours and to free Israeli hostages held there within 72 hours after that, coincident with the start of a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops and the flow of desperately needed supplies of food and medical aid for displaced and homeless Palestinians.
The war has deepened Israel’s international isolation – with several American allies announcing recognition of or plans to recognise a Palestinian state – embroiled Middle Eastern nations in a regional conflict and tested the US-Israeli relationship, with Trump reportedly having stepped up pressure on Netanyahu to reach a deal.
By the time it was announced, two years almost to the day after a Hamas raid that took more than 1,200 Israeli lives and over 250 hostages, and triggered the Israeli invasion and bombardment, the Gazan conflict had claimed more than 67,000 lives, over half of them women and children, according to the UN Human Rights Office.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has welcomed the agreement and expressed hope for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire through effective implementation. However, there are numerous potential sticking points in the deal – only the first stage of Trump’s 20-point peace plan – such as Hamas’ politically sensitive demands for freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinians in Israeli jails, how the Gaza Strip is to be ruled and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel’s demands that it disarm. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must face down scepticism from within his governing coalition about any deal with Hamas.