After the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas, a much-needed truce was recently proposed and now a deal has finally been struck to extend the ceasefire by two days as brokered by Qatar.
The news was announced by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday who stated that it had managed to secure a two-day extension to the ceasefire. Qatar has been at the forefront of mediation efforts between the two sides since the recent tensions began last week.
The extended truce, which has come after several attempts of prospective ceasefires brokered by various international parties, was agreed to by both Hamas and Israel. It was requested in order to provide more time for the two sides to reach a lasting agreement to end the conflict.
The two-day extension suggests a newfound understanding between the two sides. However, previous extended truces have not provided enough political will and momentum to reach a final status agreement and secure lasting peace. This means that much of the hard work still lies ahead in order to ensure a permanent Shalom for both sides.
Experts also suggest that the conflict can only be resolved if both sides recognise and accept each other’s rights. Thus, if the two sides can break away from their past and create a new future based on peaceful coexistence, then this extended truce can become a decisive turning point towards a lasting settlement.
In recent times there has been a long legacy of mistrust between Israel and Hamas. It remains to be seen whether this latest ceasefire will bring them closer to a lasting peace or not. Still, the agreement for the two-day extension has been welcomed as a sign of hope for a brighter future.