Loading ...Breaking News: Israel and Hamas Agree to Ceasefire
By: Ghasssan Rubeiz / Arab America Contributing Writer
A ceasefire deal has been reached to end 15 months of fighting in Gaza. Hamas and Israeli officials announced the deal just moments ago, according to news sources. What lessons emerge for Palestinians, Israelis, and their supporters in Washington? The proposed agreement, building on previous drafts, outlines three six-week phases.
The first phase of the agreement includes the exchange of thirty-three Israeli hostages for 1000 Palestinian prisoners. The deal allows a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians to their communities, and significantly increased humanitarian aid. While the future administration of Gaza remains under discussion and Hamas leaders’ fate uncertain, both sides have shown flexibility: Israel has accepted a phased withdrawal, and Hamas has moderated its demands regarding prisoner releases and future governance involvement.
The Hamas attack of October 7 on Israeli border communities, brutal and miscalculated, provided Israel with a pretext to intensify its established policy of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. The Palestinian leadership in Gaza bears some responsibility for exposing its people to immense suffering under the banner of resistance to the Israeli occupation. The past 15 months of deadly hostilities in Gaza and the West Bank have deepened the alienation between Palestinians and Israelis, emboldening extremists on both sides to reject compromise and devalue cultural pluralism.
For Israelis, this moment prompts crucial reflection. What can they learn from witnessing Gazans’ determination to remain on their land despite devastating losses? Israel’s thoughtful leaders must recognize that zero-sum thinking is illusory: the pursuit of excessive revenge has damaged Israel’s own interests and international standing, particularly as charges of genocide and war crimes have been formally leveled against Tel Aviv. While the war may have temporarily unified Israelis, the psychological toll on young soldiers who participated in operations that killed many women and children will linger.
Israelis must now confront fundamental questions: How sustainable is the military occupation of Palestinian territories? What alternatives exist? How long can they rely on Washington’s unconditional support?
As the Gaza war approaches its end, Americans increasingly question their government’s role. CBS’s 60 Minutes recently exposed Washington’s policy of enabling Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The staggering scale of U.S. military aid, coupled with mounting national debt, has sparked public increasing outcry and prompted a reassessment of America’s unwavering support for hawkish Israeli policies. Will the new administration reconsider America’s Middle East approach?
Ghassan Rubeiz is the former Middle East Secretary of the World Council of Churches. Earlier, he taught psychology and social work in his country of birth, Lebanon, and later in the United States, where he currently lives. For the past twenty years, he has contributed to political commentary and delivered occasional public talks on subjects related to peace, justice, and interfaith. You can reach him at rubeizg@gmail.com
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Arab America. The reproduction of this article is permissible with proper credit to Arab America and the author.
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