{"id":3627,"date":"2026-03-08T19:07:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T19:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranians.global\/news\/?p=3627"},"modified":"2026-03-08T19:35:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T19:35:30","slug":"a-new-gaza-ceasefire-deal-is-on-the-table-will-this-time-be-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranians.global\/news\/a-new-gaza-ceasefire-deal-is-on-the-table-will-this-time-be-different\/","title":{"rendered":"A new Gaza ceasefire deal is on the table \u2013 will this time be different?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Julie M. Norman, Senior Associate Fellow on the Middle East at RUSI; Associate Professor in Politics & International Relations, UCL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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\n The US president, Donald Trump, says that Israel has agreed<\/a> to terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. If that sounds familiar, it is. <\/p>\n

The idea of a two-month truce<\/a> has been discussed since the collapse of the last shortlived ceasefire in March. A similar proposal was floated in May, but Hamas viewed it as an enabling mechanism for Israel to continue the war<\/a> after a brief pause, rather than reaching a permanent peace deal. <\/p>\n

As the devastation<\/a> in Gaza worsens by the day, will this time be any different?<\/p>\n

The proposal<\/a>, put forward by Qatari mediators, reportedly involves Hamas releasing ten living hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased hostages over the 60-day period, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners. <\/p>\n\n

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Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.<\/strong> Sign up to our daily newsletter<\/a> to receive all The Conversation UK\u2019s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

The remaining 22 hostages would be released if a long-term deal is reached. The 60-day ceasefire period would also involve negotiations for a permanent end to hostilities and a roadmap for post-war governance in Gaza.<\/p>\n

But the plan is similar to the eight-week, three-phase ceasefire from January to March of this year, which collapsed<\/a> after the first phase of hostage exchanges. Since then peace talks have hit a recurrent impasse<\/a>. <\/p>\n

For Hamas, a long-term ceasefire means the permanent end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, wants to see the complete removal of Hamas from power, the dismantling and disarming of its military wing and the exile of remaining senior Hamas leaders. <\/p>\n

But despite the persistent challenges, there are several reasons that this attempt for a ceasefire might be different. First and foremost is the recent so-called \u201c12-day war\u201d<\/a> between Israel and Iran, which Israel has trumpeted as a major success for degrading Iran\u2019s nuclear capabilities (although the reality is more nuanced<\/a>). <\/p>\n

The perceived win gives Israel\u2019s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, political maneuverability<\/a> to pursue a ceasefire over the objections of far-right hardliners in his coalition who have threatened to bring down the government in previous rounds.<\/p>\n

The Iran-Israel war, in which the US controversially carried out strikes<\/a> on Iran\u2019s nuclear sites, also revived Trump\u2019s interest in the Middle East. Trump entered office just as the phased Gaza ceasefire deal was being agreed. But Trump put little diplomatic pressure on Israel to engage in serious talks to get from the first phase of the agreement to phase two, allowing the war to resume in March. <\/p>\n

Now however, after assisting Israel militarily in Iran, Trump has significant leverage he can use with Netanyahu. He will have the chance to use it (if he chooses) when Netanyahu visits Washington next week. <\/p>\n

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\n A ceasefire deal in Gaza will be top of the agenda when Israel\u2019s prime miinister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Donald Trump in the White House next week.<\/span>
\n EPA-EFE\/Yuri Gripas\/pool<\/span><\/span>
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Both men also view Iran\u2019s weakened position as an opportunity for expanding the Abraham accords<\/a>. This was the set of agreements normalising relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, which Trump brokered at the end of his first term. <\/p>\n

Netanyahu has long eyed a US-backed deal with Saudi Arabia, and a smaller-scale declaration with Syria<\/a> is reportedly now under discussion as well. But those deals can\u2019t move forward while the war in Gaza is going.<\/p>\n

Additional obstacles<\/h2>\n

However, the recurrent obstacles to a deal remain \u2013 and it\u2019s unclear if the proposed terms will include guarantees to prevent Israel resuming the war after the 60-day period. <\/p>\n

New issues have also arisen since the last round of talks that could create further challenges. Hamas is demanding a return to traditional humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza \u2013 or at least the replacement of the controversial US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). <\/p>\n

The GHF\u2019s four distribution sites, located in militarised zones, replaced over 400 previously operating aid points, and more than 400 people have been killed<\/a> while seeking aid near the sites, since May 26. More than 170 international non-governmental organisations and charities have called for the GHF to be shut down<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s control military over Gaza has also become further entrenched since the last ceasefire. More than 80%<\/a> is thought to be covered by evacuation orders \u2013 and new orders for north Gaza<\/a> and Gaza City were issued on June 29 and July 2 respectively.<\/p>\n

Israeli officials have described the renewed operations as military pressure<\/a> on Hamas to accept a ceasefire. But Netanyahu has also spoken openly about long-term military occupation of Gaza. <\/p>\n

He recently stated<\/a> that Israel would remain in \u201cfull security control of Gaza\u201d even after the war. Even if a temporary ceasefire is agreed, the road ahead is strewn with difficulties in moving towards a long-lasting ceasefire or reaching an acceptable \u201cday-after\u201d agreement.<\/p>\n

Still, the current moment offers an opportunity for a breakthrough. Trump has a renewed interest in getting to a ceasefire and Netanyahu has a rare political window to enter an agreement and get hostages home. Hamas, meanwhile, has been weakened, not only by Israel\u2019s relentless military pounding, but by increasing disillusionment<\/a> from the people of Gaza, who are desperate for an end to the war. <\/p>\n

There is no shortage of reasons to end the war in Gaza. The only question is if Israel and Hamas have the will to do so.\n <\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

This article written by Julie M. Norman, Senior Associate Fellow on the Middle East at RUSI; Associate Professor in Politics & International Relations, UCL<\/strong> and is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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