The term ceasefire agreement refers to an arrangement between conflict parties whereby the former suspends hostilities, typically in exchange for a series of pre-set conditions. A successful ceasefire can help deescalate tensions, protect civilians, and provide a window for more comprehensive peace negotiations. Ceasefire agreements may involve either international or non-international armed conflicts, and can be local, relating to a particular geographic area, or general, covering the conflict as a whole. They can also be temporary or permanent in duration.
Ceasefire agreements can be proposed by either conflict parties or third-party mediators, and involve a number of stages. During the proposal stage, mediators often seek to establish communication channels between conflict parties and negotiate terms such as the duration of a ceasefire, the locations of safe zones, and the status of war prisoners. Negotiation processes are usually complex and time consuming, and often result in disagreements on some points of contention.
Once the terms of a ceasefire are agreed upon, it is important to set up monitoring mechanisms to ensure adherence. Monitoring committees can include representatives from the conflicting parties, third-party observer states or regional organizations, and are often designed to build trust and foster accountability. They can also flag concerns to the negotiating parties for follow up, and can be used to address violations of ceasefire terms in a timely manner.
The current ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is an almost exact replica of the framework that was on the table in May 2024, with only a few adjustments. The Biden administration, working alongside Qatari and Egyptian mediation efforts, pushed hard to get this deal done before President-elect Trump takes office. The demands on Israel, including insisting that the meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff take place on the Jewish Sabbath, helped convey to Netanyahu the urgency of getting this deal done quickly.