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Key Points
- A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is set to take effect from Sunday.
- US president-elect Donald Trump may have influenced the timing of the negotiations, experts say.
- A second phase of the ceasefire will be negotiated during the first phase.
As the world reacts to this significant moment of the war, here are some of the key talking points.
Why did the Gaza ceasefire deal happen now?
“Iran, its proxies in Lebanon, in Syria, Iraq and possibly other places have collapsed, following Israel’s sophisticated attacks in Lebanon and the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime,” he said.
The aftermath following an Israeli airstrike at Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. Source: AAP / Adel Hana
“So there’s no help coming from Iran to aid Hamas’ situation on the ground.”
Both analysts also highlighted the influence of the United States President-elect Donald Trump in shaping the negotiations.
Trump had warned there would be “hell to pay” unless hostages held by Hamas were freed before he takes office on 20 January. Outgoing President Joe Biden also pushed for a deal in the final months of his term.
Will the ceasefire bring long-term peace?
In Khan Younis, throngs clogged the streets amid the sounds of horns as they cheered, danced and waved Palestinian flags.
“There’s a glimmer of hope now that this is the beginning of the end of this particular period of suffering.”
Who is likely to govern Gaza?
But he said Israel has likely conceded that the Palestinian Authority would have to be involved to some extent in governing Gaza.
He said “the best option” would be for another Arab country to send armed forces in the short term to establish security.
What is the possible future of Hamas?
Hamas, in its entirety, is listed as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and seven other countries, including Australia. Other countries list only its military wing as a terrorist group.
“There is now an opportunity to reduce Hamas to something which is possibly still in the background, but it cannot be completely destroyed or eliminated, but is weak enough to fade over time if a better alternative comes in.”
What does the deal mean for Israelis and Palestinians?
Israel’s parliament banned official dealings with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the body responsible for helping Palestinian refugees, and Ian Parmeter, research scholar at the Australian National University wrote in the Conversation: “How will the aid be distributed?
— With additional reporting from Reuters.
