by Dan Wells, CARE
The first sign was a hand-written note and a whisper in the ear of the American President. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Palestine had yielded fruit. Donald Trump’s twenty-point plan for peace in the Middle East could be the basis for a serious and lasting end to the conflict in Gaza.
It comes two years and two days after the incident that started the war: Hamas’ devastating attack on 7th October 2023 that killed over a thousand Israelis. As Israel then attacked and invaded the Palestinian territory of Gaza, it has resulted in many thousands more deaths. The war has also led to a humanitarian crisis within Gaza leaving people without food, shelter and clean water.
The situation is still developing at the time of writing, but both Hamas and the Israeli government have agreed to the terms of a ceasefire which has now come into force. This will be accompanied by a withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of the territory, anticipating an almost full withdrawal in due course. This will then be followed by the release of the hostages by Hamas, some twenty of which are believed to be alive, and release of Palestinian political prisoners by Israel. The return of the hostages could finally come about by early next week.
Things have moved quickly and surprisingly over the past days, and it can leave us uncertain how to feel about where we are right now. Some will react with jubilation and excitement; others will respond with pessimism and cynicism (this is not the first ceasefire to be announced in this war). Then there are those who point out the way Israel has conducted the war, or that Hamas are terrorists. Is all forgiven in the cause of peace? As Christians, how should we feel about these latest developments in the Middle East?
We should be thankful
It does seem as if this is a significant step toward lasting peace in Gaza. For that we should be profoundly thankful.
There have been celebrations in Gaza and in Israel about the news of the ceasefire. Not only will hostilities stop (we hope permanently) but aid will be able to get into Gaza where it is desperately needed. The hostages will be able to return home to their families. There is even the potential for a solution that could allow Israelis and Palestinians to live alongside one another in peace. All of these things should gladden our hearts and give us cause for joy.
Whatever your opinion of him, some thanks would seem to go to Donald Trump (and his team of envoys, advisers and diplomats). He has leveraged key relationships to enable these negotiations to happen and to pave a way for the ceasefire. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has commented that this deal “would not have happened without President Trump’s leadership”. The timing was not right to win Trump his coveted Nobel Peace Prize, but even his critics seem to acknowledge that this is a key achievement for the president.