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A ceasefire agreement – also known as a cessation of hostilities (CoH) or suspension of hostilities (SoH) – is a military pause in armed conflict that typically has a humanitarian dimension and may lead to a permanent peace settlement. Ceasefire agreements are negotiated between belligerents and can be unilateral, or between a group of belligerents with the support of third parties. The terms of a ceasefire can include measures for the assembly, disarmament and demobilization, as well as the integration of insurgent combatants into the armed forces of the state.
The timing of the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire was largely related to incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, with Netanyahu eager to show he could deliver on an agreement with Hamas before taking office. The Biden administration’s efforts to broker a deal with Israel, including direct contact between Netanyahu and US envoy Steve Witkoff, fell short in the end, but it was enough to produce an outcome that satisfies both sides for now.
Unlike a peace agreement or armistice, a ceasefire does not signal an end to the conflict. Instead, a truce is a temporary measure meant to keep the opposing parties in communication with each other about potential permanent settlements. The terms of a ceasefire can come and go, like a humanitarian pause, but it is usually more durable than an agreement to suspend hostilities. Nevertheless, they never indicate an end to war.