Gaza’s war-weary residents could soon receive a rare reprieve, with a multiphased truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, announced on Wednesday, expected to take effect on Sunday.
However, their future remains as uncertain as ever because the deal, announced by the leaders of the United States, Qatar and Egypt, does not guarantee an end to the war that has been raging since October 7, 2023.
The draft truce agreement provides for talks on a framework for the post-conflict governance and reconstruction of Gaza, but with no consensus on those issues in sight, the door has been left open for prolonged Israeli military occupation of the territory.
Furthermore, the agreement does not address political negotiations to resolve the underlying conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Analysts say the temporary pause in hostilities may do little to end the threat posed to the Middle East’s stability by the long-running conflict between Israel and its Western backers, and Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah and other militias aligned with Iran.