Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal in Gaza and agreed to the release of dozens of hostages. This comes after 15 months of fighting.

Jon Hoffman, a research fellow in defense and foreign policy, issued a statement about the ceasefire:

“This ceasefire is a welcome respite from a disastrous 15-month-long war that has seen Gaza reduced to rubble. The United States has subsidized this conflict, to the detriment of US interests and Middle East stability.

For more than 15 months, Israel has remained wedded to the idea that it is capable of achieving “total victory” in Gaza—i.e. completely eradicating Hamas while freeing the remaining hostages. Clearly, this has not materialized. Secretary of State Blinken said Hamas has recruited almost as many fighters as it has lost. Absent a deal, the hostages are still no closer to being returned to their families. American officials believe Israel has accomplished all it can militarily in Gaza, while the Israeli defense establishment has long viewed the two main objectives of the war as mutually incompatible. Israel’s economy has taken a large hit, as has its global image.

There are reports that the incoming Trump administration pressured Israel behind the scenes to agree to this ceasefire, but the actual extent of such pressure has yet to be conclusively determined. Perhaps the fear of Donald Trump’s often uncertain and erratic behavior was enough to move the needle, despite his strong pro-Israel record. But if is indeed true that Trump’s team exerted enough pressure on Netanyahu to force a deal—before officially assuming the presidency—then it is quite damning for Biden and his team, who repeatedly claimed they were “working tirelessly” toward a deal over the past year, yet delivered on nothing. More hardnosed diplomacy will be needed moving forward.

Whether the deal will hold—and what subsequent phases of the deal look like and if the terms are honored or not—is the million-dollar question. But such a deal is a necessary first-step toward ending this disastrous conflict and deescalating tensions across the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Iran. It’s a tall order—and will require more pressure from the United States—but the need is dire.”

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