Gaza ceasefire agreement marks a vital first step, but difficult stages await

AFTER two years of devastating conflict, the announcement of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement offers a fragile but essential glimmer of hope.

While US President Donald Trump will claim a diplomatic victory, the breakthrough may owe less to any single personality and more to the pragmatic, phased framework that made it possible. This represents a model that breaks from past failures.

This ceasefire did not emerge spontaneously. It is the culmination of months of work on a US-led proposal, with talks in Egypt involving Qatari and Turkish officials alongside the Americans. The deal follows through on a pledge that Trump made in late September 2025 for the US to play an active role in ensuring Israel’s security.