A fragile ceasefire may have temporarily silenced the guns, but the most contentious battles over Gaza's future are just beginning. The exchange of hostages for prisoners and the surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza represent just the opening moves in a much more complex and politically charged chess game.
Here's what's happening right now: Four hostages who had died in captivity were returned to Israel on Monday, with another 24 living hostages scheduled for release as part of the initial ceasefire phase. In exchange, Israel has committed to allowing significantly increased amounts of food and essential humanitarian supplies into the devastated Gaza Strip.
But here's where it gets controversial... While there were moments of celebration in Gaza as prisoners returned from Israeli detention, and genuine hope that the fighting might permanently cease, the harsh reality is that the suffering continues for war-exhausted Palestinians. The scale of destruction is staggering—Gaza's economy has been virtually erased, basic services like water and electricity remain in chaos, and countless homes lie in ruins. The billion-dollar question nobody wants to answer: Who will foot the bill for reconstruction, a process that experts estimate could take the better part of a decade?
Now, let's talk about what Israeli leadership is claiming. Prime Minister Netanyahu told parliament he fully supports the agreement, boldly stating it "ends the war by achieving all our objectives." This is particularly noteworthy because Israel had previously vowed not to cease hostilities until all hostages were freed AND Hamas was completely defeated. And this is the part most people miss: Critics have openly accused Netanyahu of prolonging the conflict for political advantage—a charge he vehemently denies.
To understand how we got here, we need to rewind to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, when militants killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Israel's massive retaliatory campaign has resulted in more than 67,000 deaths according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Important context: While the ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and doesn't distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count, its figures are generally considered reliable by the United Nations and numerous independent experts.
The conflict's ripple effects have spread throughout the Middle East, sparking clashes between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, and creating heightened tensions with Iran itself.
Meanwhile, emotional scenes unfolded across Israel as 20 living hostages—all men—were reunited with their families. Thousands gathered for public viewings of these homecomings, with crowds erupting in cheers and tears of relief streaming down faces.
"You're alive! Two arms and two legs!" exclaimed Zvika Mor upon seeing his son Eitan for the first time in two years. In another deeply moving moment, Bar Kupershtein's father Tal, who uses a wheelchair following a car accident and stroke, fulfilled a personal promise by standing for several minutes to embrace his newly freed son.
Unlike previous prisoner exchanges, Hamas conducted no ceremonial handovers this time. Instead, families received video calls from masked militants who provided their first glimpse of loved ones before their actual return.
The hostage crisis had become a unifying national issue in Israel, with thousands regularly joining weekly protests demanding their government secure the captives' release. Here's what's really fascinating: The fate of these hostages actually became the central driving force behind a growing movement within Israel to end the war. Many Israelis came to believe that Netanyahu's dual objectives of freeing captives while simultaneously defeating Hamas were fundamentally incompatible.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning that any delay by Hamas in returning the bodies of remaining deceased hostages would be considered a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
On the Palestinian side, large crowds welcomed freed prisoners in both Beitunia in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Khan Younis in Gaza. The returning prisoners flashed V-for-victory signs as they stepped off buses that transported them to either the West Bank, Gaza, or into exile abroad.
"Praise be to God, our Lord, who has honored us with this release and this joy," said Mahmoud Fayez, who returned to Gaza after being detained early last year during an Israeli raid on Shifa Hospital.
The released prisoners include 250 individuals who were serving life sentences for convictions related to attacks on Israelis, plus another 1,700 people seized from Gaza during the war who were being held without formal charges.
Now, here's a crucial point that often gets overlooked in Western media: The prisoner issue is incredibly sensitive throughout Palestinian society, where virtually every family knows or is related to someone who has been imprisoned by Israel. Palestinians widely view these prisoners not as criminals but as freedom fighters resisting occupation.
U.S. President Donald Trump traveled to the region to personally celebrate the deal, urging Israeli lawmakers in a Knesset speech to seize this opportunity for broader regional peace. His speech was briefly interrupted when two Knesset members staged a protest—one holding a sign reading "Recognize Palestine"—before being removed from the chamber.
In Egypt, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Trump convened a summit with leaders from over 20 countries to discuss Gaza's future and broader Middle Eastern stability. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who administers parts of the West Bank, also participated.
Despite Trump's optimistic tone, numerous thorny problems remain completely unresolved. Perhaps the most contentious sticking point is Israel's demand that a weakened Hamas completely disarm—something Hamas absolutely refuses to do while simultaneously insisting on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.
So far, the Israeli military has pulled back from most of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis, and several other areas. However, troops continue to operate in most of Rafah in southern Gaza, towns in Gaza's far north, and along the entire border between Gaza and Israel.
The question of who will ultimately govern Gaza remains murky at best. The U.S. proposal suggests an international body should govern the territory while Palestinian technical experts handle daily affairs. Hamas, meanwhile, insists that Gaza's governance should be determined exclusively among Palestinians themselves.
The American plan cautiously envisions an eventual role for Abbas's Palestinian Authority—a concept Netanyahu has opposed for years—but only if the authority undergoes significant reforms.
Here's where it gets really interesting: The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, supported by Palestinian police. Israeli forces would gradually withdraw as these security forces deploy. Approximately 200 U.S. troops are already in Israel to help monitor the ceasefire.
And this is the truly controversial part: The plan even mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state—something Netanyahu's government has consistently rejected as completely unacceptable.
So here's my question to you: Do you believe this ceasefire agreement represents a genuine path toward lasting peace, or is it merely a temporary pause that allows both sides to regroup before the next confrontation? I'm genuinely curious to hear your perspective in the comments below—do you think the international community's approach is balanced, or is one side being unfairly favored in these negotiations?
