The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has begun. Terrorists still effectively control the Gaza Strip
After more than a year of warfare, the fighting in the Gaza Strip has subsided, at least for now. Israel and Hamas have agreed on a prisoner exchange, with the Islamists releasing three hostages in exchange for 90 Palestinians from Israeli prisons in the first phase. The Israelis withdrew from several areas in Gaza and humanitarian aid began to flow into the area in large numbers. Some of the residents of the bombed-out area, where most of the buildings and main roads have been destroyed, are returning home - if they have somewhere to go. The ceasefire is expected to continue with the release of up to three dozen kidnapped Israelis in exchange for hundreds of convicted Palestinians. Nearly a hundred residents of the Jewish State remain in terrorist captivity, with an estimated one-third dead. Despite the devastating impact of the Israeli incursion into Gaza on Hamas structures, its fighters still control the authorities and the situation across the Strip.
This is both a success for the negotiators and a logical outcome of the bleak situation that was affecting both sides. After 15 months of war, which was sparked by the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists on 7 October 2023 and the removal of nearly three hundred civilians to the Gaza Strip, retaliatory military operations are now suspended. After protracted and still collapsing talks, both the US- and Qatar-led teams have managed to reach their first partial, but for a long time the only important success. Hamas released a trio of Israeli women detainees in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners sentenced in Israel, including 69 women and 21 young men from the West Bank and Jerusalem.
This is what we’ve been fighting for, for over 471 days. Welcome home Emily, Doron and Romi 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/VIXyaP1ntY
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 19, 2025
"I would like you to tell them: Romi, Doron and Emily - the whole nation embraces you. Welcome home," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the military commander in charge of the exchange by phone. Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari were reunited with their families after a long ordeal. They all survived without major injuries and were in good spirits when they returned, but Damari lost fingers on her hand that were shot off by terrorists on the day of her abduction.
The ceasefire agreed for six weeks so far includes the release of 33 more Israeli hostages and, in time, nearly two thousand Palestinian prisoners. Two further phases are to follow, aiming at the release of all hostages. The main points are to halt the Israeli advance and air strikes and to send aid to Gaza. Hundreds of trucks of supplies have started to arrive there every day, compared to the last few weeks when no more than 40 trucks arrived each day. Some Palestinians are already returning from refugee camps to their homes, or rather to where they used to be. According to UN estimates, over 60% of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged, as have major roads. In addition to the destroyed infrastructure, unexploded ordnance also complicates the situation.
Drone footage shows #Gaza before and after Israel's military operation in the 🇵🇸#Palestinian enclave.
— 🔴 Wars and news 🛰️ (@EUFreeCitizen) January 22, 2025
nbcnews pic.twitter.com/C0XfSDNyN5
Despite the devastating impact on the ranks of Islamists, Hamas remains at the forefront of institutions and security in Gaza. Of the nearly 50,000 reported casualties in the Strip, Israel says up to half are terrorists, and the Israeli army has managed to capture three and a half thousand. Even so, after the ceasefire began, surviving Hamas commanders deployed armed patrols on the streets to oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid and prevent looting. They also organised a military parade. The large presence of militants on the streets shows that Hamas still has a lot to take and that its ranks - however thinned - are still at least partially operational.
"If Hamas remains in power in the Gaza Strip, peace, stability and security for both sides will have no future," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told Reuters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made similar comments in a greeting to the new US president. "I look forward to working with you to return the remaining hostages, destroy Hamas' military capabilities and end its political rule in Gaza, and ensure that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel," Netanyahu told Donald Trump in a video message.
Trump has made similar comments about Hamas in the past, but has expressed partial scepticism about the duration of the ceasefire. At the same time, he admitted that he could be involved in the reconstruction of Gaza. "I'm not sure about it (the ceasefire). It's not our war, it's their war. I've seen what Gaza looks like - it's like a huge demolition site. And it needs to be rebuilt in a different way. (...) I could (help with that). Gaza is interesting. It's a great place by the sea, with the best weather, everything is good there. You could do beautiful things with it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office shortly after his appointment. Donald Trump himself considers the success of the negotiations as his own and has expressed his wish for the duration of the ceasefire.
The question now for all concerned will be the future shape of relations and arrangements in the Gaza Strip. Officially, the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah, is to be in control of the area. However, it is not only the events of recent years that show that the domination is rather symbolic, and it is the Islamist radicals who are the real rulers, and this has been the case for 18 years since they drove their rivals out of Fatah. Israel has put forward the proposal that local clan leaders, many of whom have already been slaughtered by Hamas, would lead post-war Gaza, in cooperation with members of Gazan civil society with no militant ties. Diplomats also discussed models involving an international peacekeeping force that could be coordinated by the U.S. along with the United Arab Emirates until a reformed Palestinian Authority is able to take power. Another model supported by Egypt describes a possible joint Fatah-Hamas government. As experts point out, however, if Hamas remains in the background, these formalities will not matter and de facto will continue to rule the Gaza Strip.
