After more than a year of conflict, Israel and Hamas decided on January 19, 2025, to call off hostilities. This was supposed to be a breath of fresh air, after months of intense combat. In this field, however, a Hamas ceasefire is never only a consent to “stop fighting.” While rendering certain organizations weaker, the agreement strengthened some others. Things started rapidly to go apart once more.
From the Hamas ceasefire, who truly benefited? Whose vanished? Why did things collapse so rapidly? Let’s simplify it for you.
What Was in the Ceasefire Agreement?
Before we get into who gained or lost, let’s look at what the Hamas ceasefire actually included:
- Temporary pause in fighting. For a short time, both sides decided not to attack.
- Hostage and prisoner exchange. Israel agreed to free the Israeli hostages, and Hamas decided to do the same.
- More humanitarian aid for Gaza. Food, medicine, and other kinds of help could get to the people of Gaza because of the Hamas ceasefire.
- Israeli troops withdrawing from key areas. Israel decided to pull its troops out of areas of Gaza with a lot of people.
The deal was supposed to help for a short time, but it didn’t work out that way. While some groups used the break to their advantage, others had a hard time getting used to the new situation.
Who Benefited from the Ceasefire?
Hamas: A Pause to Regroup
At first glance, it might look like Hamas was the less strong party in this deal. They did agree to stop fighting and free the hostages, after all. But if you look more closely, the truce was pretty good for Hamas.
Israeli officials wanted to get rid of Hamas for good, but the group was able to stay together. Just doing that was a win for them. Hamas freed many Palestinian prisoners, including some important figures, in return for freeing Israeli hostages.
They were able to get away from Israeli strikes during the Hamas ceasefire. This let them rebuild some of their businesses and get more weapons in case there was another war.
A lot of Palestinians thought that Hamas was strong against Israel, which made them look better.
Israeli Hostages and Their Families
The release of Israeli prisoners was one of the most important steps toward peace. When their loved ones finally got home, families who had been waiting in fear finally saw them.
A number of prisoners were freed, which made the families of those who were held feel better.A lot of people in Israel saw this as proof that talks could bring more prisoners back home. The freeing of the hostages put pressure on the Israeli government to talk about freeing the other prisoners. Even though not all prisoners were freed, this was one of the few good things that came out of a very bad situation.
Palestinian Civilians in Gaza
The Hamas ceasefire was a short but welcome break from the constant bombings and military strikes in Gaza.
While there was a truce, there were fewer explosions and deaths. Supplies like food, medicine, and other necessities could finally get to people who needed them. During the break, some families fixed up their homes and found temporary places to stay.
Unfortunately, this relief didn’t last long, and soon, the violence started up again.
Who Lost in the Ceasefire?
The Israeli Government
The agreement had both good and bad effects on Israeli leaders. Even though they were able to get some hostages back, they weren’t able to finish their secondary goal of defeating Hamas.
- Israel wanted to get rid of Hamas completely after months of war, but the group stayed in power.
- A lot of Israelis thought that when the government agreed to the Hamas ceasefire, it was being too easy on Hamas. Right-wing political groups wanted the troops to do more.
- Many families were still waiting for their loved ones to come home because not all the hostages were freed.
The Hamas ceasefire didn’t give Israel a clear win, and soon, pressure mounted for them to resume military action.
The Palestinian Authority (PA)
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which rules the West Bank, have always been competing for power. These peace talks made things worse for them.
- The PA had nothing to do with the agreement, which meant they were still not very strong in Palestinian politics.
- For many Palestinians, Hamas was seen as the real enemy of Israel, while the PA seemed weak.
- Since Hamas was still in charge, it was harder to talk about long-term peace.
The PA was already struggling before the Hamas ceasefire, and this deal only made their position weaker.
Why the Ceasefire Fell Apart
Things broke down very quickly. By March 18, 2025, fighting was back on. What went wrong?
Israel said that Hamas had broken their promise to free all the prisoners. Hamas said that Israel wasn’t living up to its end of the deal. Even when there was a Hamas ceasefire, there were tales of fights and violations. There were hardline groups in both Israel and Gaza that wanted to start war again.
Before long, the ceasefire was history, and the war started up again.
What Happened After the Ceasefire Collapsed?
As soon as the truce ended, the situation escalated quickly:
Israel launched new attacks. The troops moved deeper into Gaza to attack strongholds of Hamas. Civilians suffered the most.A lot of people had to leave, and the situation for those in need got even worse. More peace talks were made by people around the world, but neither side was ready to give up.
Once again, peace talks fell apart, and the conflict returned to full-scale violence.
