On Jan. 15, Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire deal. The ceasefire deal is divided into three parts, and so far, only the first has been agreed upon and implemented.
The first part of the deal relates to hostages and prisoners in both countries. The deal also includes a temporary ceasefire and a withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza.
Israel and Palestine have a long and violent history of conflict. On Oct. 7, Hamas conducted a surprise attack on Israel, in which they took over some Israeli villages and military bases. They kidnapped 248 people from their homes, from military bases and from a dance party that occurred near the Israeli border with Gaza.
Throughout the war, Israeli military forces fought in Gaza. According to AP news, over 46,000 Palestinians and over 2,040 Israelis were killed throughout the war. Houses, buildings and most of the infrastructure of Gaza were ruined.
Senior Eliana Kaufman believes the best way to resolve the conflict will be mutual understanding. “People on both sides are hurting, and they’re hurting in different ways. […] If you’re not holding space for each other’s pain, letting each other feel that pain, it can be difficult to connect and understand people. I think that’s so important. You don’t have to agree with someone, hopefully they do the same for you as well,” Kaufman said.
Senior Ahmet Erdogan agreed, explaining why he thinks the conflict needs to end. “In my religion, if you save one person’s life, it’s like saving all of humanity, so no matter which side kills, I see it as murder, I don’t take sides,” Erdogan said.
The next parts have not been signed yet, and the Israeli government and the public are in intense discussions about whether or not to sign it. These next parts include returning all hostages to Israel, releasing a couple thousand Palestinian prisoners and working towards the four goals of the deal, which are:
- A permanent ceasefire between Israel and Gaza
- A withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza
- Rebuilding and restoring all of the destruction in Gaza
- Opening the border between Israel and Gaza to facilitate access to resources to Palestinians
Throughout the first part of the deal, 33 Israeli hostages are supposed to be returned to Israel. In exchange, Israel will release a couple hundred Palestinian prisoners who were imprisoned over the years by the state of Israel and IDF, some of them after taking part in terrorist attacks. The number of Palestinian prisoners released is not specified, because it depends on which hostages will be released.
Erdogan advocated for continued respect and a return to relations before the conflict. “During the Ottoman empire, Jewish people and Muslims together in peace for centuries, they should be like that again,” Erdogan said.
The restoration of water, electricity and other essential facilities in Gaza will begin.
Israel will allow the insertion of tents/caravans to accommodate Palestinians who lost their homes throughout the war. Palestinians will be permitted to get medical help in Israel, and trade will be allowed through the Israel-Gaza border.
Kaufman thinks this is a good first step to a solution. “I’d love to see something like lasting peace in the region, or people getting together well,” Kaufman said.
The first part of the deal is supposed to end on March 2, 2025. The Israeli government as well as Hamas are still in discussions about whether or not to go through with the next parts.
