A New Ceasefire: The Promise of Hope

By Kohlton Holsapple

January 18th, 2025

President-elect Trump shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The world is hours away from the official inking of a historic, multi-phase peace deal between Israel and Hamas over the future of the Gaza Strip, and Palestine as a whole. Both sides are gaining huge consolations, hostages returned to Israel and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Parts of the deal are still set to be negotiated at a future date, and there is still doubt on whether or not the long term goals of the deal in phase 3 will be achieved. Any reprieve comes as a relief after 16 months of brutality, killings and atrocities starting on October 7th, 2023 when Hamas incurred into Israel, extracting civilian hostages and leaving behind hundreds of innocent Israelis dead.

Since then, Israel moved into Gaza, exacting mass retaliatory strikes in an effort to eliminate Hamas entirely. This goal has led to thousands of innocent Palestinians, including many children, being massacred in the onslaught. One must ask what was gained following United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitting that Hamas has recruited just as many new fighters as were lost during this conflict. Undoubtedly, enraged and now radicalized young Gazans will continue to join Hamas for years to come as a result of this Israeli incursion.

This ceasefire comes at an important time where the future of the entire Middle-East is in the balance. Hezbollah has been functionally dismantled, Iran is at its weakest point in years and Israel is achieving massive long term goals with the fall of the Syrian Assad regime. Yet, closer to home there is much left to be desired for Israel. It is hard to evaluate at this point if the supposed calculated October 7th attack by Hamas has put them in a better or worse position. The same can be said for the Israeli response and incursion.

With President-elect Donald Trump set to return to the Oval Office on Monday, there has been mounting pressure from the former and soon to be again President and his allies on Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal now. This comes as a shock to many, given Trump is massively popular in Israel following the moving of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, and is perhaps the most pro-Israel President in US history. It is clear that Trump does not want this mess on his hands, stating weeks ago that ‘all hell will break out’ if the Israeli hostages are not returned before his inauguration. If successful, tomorrow will mark a massive achievement for the Trump presidency before it can even formally begin. An achievement that his predecessor Biden has been unable to achieve, despite these exact terms reportedly being agreed to by Hamas as far ago as May 2024.

President Biden gives final address to the nation from the Oval Office

Trump and Biden have had divergent rhetoric on this issue, yet the actions of Trump being willing to apply pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu speak louder than the words of President Biden ever had with regards to helping save Palestinian and Israeli lives. Trump’s “peace through strength” approach is so far showing success in the Middle East, following his historic Abraham Accords during his first term. It is still unclear if this approach will be used, and be effective on another front: Ukraine. The war between Russia continues to escalate following Biden’s approval of long range missile strikes into Russia from Ukraine. President Biden, in his farewell address to the nation, attempted to claim credit for the ceasefire deal that has clearly been forced by Trump’s incoming administration. Despite what some claim, the President of the United States still has incredible influence and control over the actions of Israel. For the first time in many months there is a promise of hope for peace in areas of the world that have been ravaged by war for years.

The question remains: do these global actors have the courage and fortitude to carry it through?

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