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T relief brought by the halt in hostilities in Gaza is immense. In Israel, the release of captives held alive has led to extensive joy. Across Palestinian territories, celebrations have commenced as as many as 2,000 Palestinian prisoners begin their release – though distress remains due to ambiguity about the identities of those released and their destinations. Throughout Gaza's northern regions, people can now go back to dig through rubble for the bodies of an approximated 10,000 unaccounted-for individuals.

Truce Development Against Earlier Odds

Only three weeks ago, the chance of a ceasefire appeared remote. Yet it has taken effect, and on Monday Donald Trump travelled from Jerusalem, where he was applauded in the Knesset, to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. There, he attended a high-powered peace conference of more than 20 world leaders, featuring Sir Keir Starmer. The peace initiative initiated there is due to be continued at a meeting in the UK. The US president, acting with international partners, managed to secure this deal take place – regardless of, not because of, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Aspirations for Sovereignty Tempered by Previous Experiences

Expectations that the deal represents the first step toward Palestinian statehood are understandable – but, considering historical precedent, somewhat optimistic. It lacks a transparent trajectory to self-rule for Palestinians and risks splitting, for the near term, Gaza from the West Bank. Then there is the complete destruction this war has caused. The lack of any timeframe for Palestinian self-determination in Mr Trump’s plan undermines vainglorious allusions, in his Knesset speech, to the “monumental start” of a “golden age”.

The US president was unable to refrain from sowing division and personalising the deal in his speech.

In a time of relief – with the hostage release, halt in fighting and resumption of aid – he decided to reinterpret it as a morality play in which he alone reinstated Israel’s honor after supposed betrayal by past US commanders-in-chief Obama and Biden. This even as the Biden administration twelve months prior having tried a similar deal: a ceasefire connected with aid delivery and ultimate political talks.

Genuine Autonomy Crucial for Authentic Resolution

A initiative that refuses one side meaningful agency cannot produce legitimate peace. The ceasefire and aid trucks are to be applauded. But this is not currently political progress. Without systems securing Palestinian participation and command over their own organizations, any deal threatens freezing oppression under the rhetoric of peace.

Humanitarian Priorities and Reconstruction Challenges

Gaza’s people desperately need emergency support – and food and medicines must be the primary focus. But rebuilding cannot wait. Among 60 million tonnes of wreckage, Palestinians need help restoring dwellings, learning institutions, medical centers, places of worship and other organizations shattered by Israel’s invasion. For Gaza’s transitional administration to succeed, financial support must flow quickly and security gaps be remedied.

Similar to a great deal of the president's diplomatic proposal, allusions to an global peacekeeping unit and a proposed “board of peace” are disturbingly unclear.

Global Backing and Potential Developments

Strong international support for the Palestinian Authority, permitting it to take over from Hamas, is perhaps the most promising prospect. The tremendous pain of the previous 24 months means the humanitarian imperative for a resolution to the conflict is potentially more urgent than ever. But even as the ceasefire, the homecoming of the captives and commitment by Hamas to “remove weapons from” Gaza should be recognized as positive steps, Mr Trump’s track record gives little reason to have faith he will deliver – or deem himself compelled to attempt. Immediate respite does not imply that the prospect of a Palestinian state has been advanced.