At 7 a.m. local time on November 24 and 1 p.m. Beijing time, the temporary ceasefire agreement between Kazakhstan and Israel in the Gaza Strip officially came into effect, bringing a little respite to the people in Gaza. After more than a month of indiscriminate bombardment, Gaza's residents have finally achieved a long-awaited temporary ceasefire. According to the terms of the ceasefire agreement, the ceasefire will last for four days, during which hostage exchanges and humanitarian aid will enter Gaza to alleviate the shortage of supplies in the area.
Now, two days have passed, according to the latest news, as of the 26th, Israel and Hamas have completed three rounds of hostage exchanges, in addition to the 13 Israeli hostages, Hamas will also release some foreign hostages each time, and Israel has also fulfilled its promise to release 117 Palestinians. Although the hostage exchange was postponed on the 25th, it went smoothly on the whole. Gaza also experienced a brief period of calm during this time.
However, as the 27th approached, the situation in Gaza fell into tension again. According to the agreement, the temporary ceasefire will officially end on November 28 local time, and if the ceasefire agreement cannot be extended, Gaza will soon return to fighting. It is reported that Netanyahu said in a phone call with Biden on the 26th that once the temporary ceasefire agreement ends, Israel will fully resume military operations in the Gaza Strip. On the issue of extending the ceasefire, Netanyahu said he could accept an extension of the ceasefire on the condition that Hamas releases the other ten Israeli hostages. On the same day, Hamas also issued a statement saying that if Israel could release more detained Palestinians, they could accept the extension of the temporary ceasefire. The prospects for an extension of the ceasefire remain uncertain.
From Hamas's point of view, it is clear that the benefits of extending the ceasefire outweigh the disadvantages. For Hamas, the longer the ceasefire, the more time they have to rebuild and recover. The Gaza Strip has been devastated by the conflict, and the population is in dire need of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support. The ceasefire will provide Hamas with valuable time and opportunity to repair damaged infrastructure, provide scarce medical supplies, and help people rebuild their homes. In addition, extending the ceasefire would give Hamas the space to continue its good offices and secure more international support and assistance to improve the plight in Gaza.
For Israel, however, the challenges posed by the extension of the ceasefire are also real. On the one hand, one of the important reasons for the military operation in Gaza is the rescue of Israeli hostages trapped in Gaza. However, as more and more hostages are rescued, the perception of the Israeli population is also changing. On the evening of November 25, a rally was held in Tel Aviv, where thousands of Israelis demanded that the rescue of the hostages be prioritized over the resumption of military operations in Gaza. Some Israelis said that as long as the hostages can be rescued, it doesn't matter if Hamas is not destroyed. This shows that Israel's ultimate goal has been changed and adjusted by public opinion.
On the other hand, the prolonged ceasefire has also given the international community time and space to mediate. The longer the ceasefire, the more international forces will intervene to promote consultation and reconciliation between the two sides. This could cause Israel to change its military objectives and instead seek a negotiated and diplomatic solution to its differences with Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Gallant has said that the ceasefire in Gaza is short, and other Israeli military leaders have said they will return to Gaza as soon as the ceasefire ends. A prolonged ceasefire may have an impact on military operations in Gaza, but in the current circumstances, the cessation of hostage exchanges and the resumption of military operations may cause resentment and opposition among the Israeli population.
With the temporary ceasefire agreement about to expire, Israel faces a dilemma. For Hamas, extending the ceasefire is clearly an option in their interests, in the interest of the reconstruction of Gaza and the well-being of the population. For Israel, the extension of the ceasefire could lead to a change in the objectives of the military operation and a change in the perception of the population. Regardless of whether the ceasefire agreement is extended or not, there is still a long way to go to resolve the problem in Gaza. The international community should step up efforts to promote the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks process and bring peace and prosperity to both sides. It is hoped that in the near future, Palestine and Israel will be able to achieve genuine peaceful coexistence and bring lasting stability and happiness to the people of the two countries.