On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, news agencies reported that representatives of Israel and Hamas, along with officials from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, reached an agreement on a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, with the possibility of an extension. The agreement will be officially signed on Friday, January 17, and implemented on Sunday, January 19, one day before the inauguration of Donald Trump.
The announcement was met with celebrations by Palestinians and anti-war demonstrators in Israel. Leaders from the United Nations, the World Food Program, and the International Committee of the Red Cross cautiously welcomed the agreement, emphasizing the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid to the two million people in Gaza suffering from severe shortages of water, food, and medicine due to the Israeli military’s siege.
Despite international support for the ceasefire, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) misleadingly declared the agreement a “victory” for Hamas, inviting widespread ridicule.
The agreement includes a prisoner exchange during the initial six weeks of the ceasefire. For every Israeli soldier released by Hamas, 30 Palestinian prisoners will be freed. This arrangement will see Hamas release 33 Israeli captives over 42 days, starting with women and individuals under 19 years old. In exchange, Israel will release 1,650 Palestinian prisoners, prioritizing women and minors.
Additionally, 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid are set to enter Gaza daily. Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from key areas like Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors, and displaced residents of northern Gaza will be allowed to return home starting January 22.
The 15-month conflict, initiated by Hamas’s attack and exacerbated by Israel’s retaliatory measures, has been catastrophic. Nearly 1,200 Israelis civilians and soldiers were killed, and 230 were captured. Conversely, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reports over 46,000 deaths by January 9, 2025, while estimates by The Lancet suggest the toll may exceed 64,000, two-thirds of whom were women and children.
Deaths occurred through direct attacks, including precision bombings of homes, schools, refugee camps, and hospitals, as well as due to famine, treatable diseases, and lack of medical care under the siege. An additional 10,000 bodies remain buried under rubble, as Israeli forces prevented rescue teams from reaching affected areas.
Approximately 150 journalists and media workers were killed in Gaza, and the region’s infrastructure, including entire cities, has been decimated.
While the ceasefire is a welcome relief, it is far from a resolution. Both Hamas, desperate after devastating losses, and Israel, under international pressure, have reluctantly agreed to the terms. Neither side represents the true interests of civilians, as evidenced by their exclusion from negotiations.
U.S. President Joe Biden, a key supporter of Israel’s actions during the conflict, has faced harsh criticism, with opposition media dubbing him “Genocidal Joe.” Israeli forces have reportedly escalated their attacks in Gaza even after the agreement, with some factions within Israel’s far-right government opposing the ceasefire altogether.
The precarious nature of the ceasefire underscores the need for a strong, global anti-war movement to prevent a resurgence of violence. Such a movement must hold both Hamas and the Israeli government accountable while advocating for lasting peace and justice for all affected populations.
