When the January cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced, both parties erupted into celebrations, hopeful after 15 months of conflict. However, with the initial phase of the treaty concluding on Sunday and Israel presenting Hamas with a new proposal that the group has rejected, there is a growing concern that the fighting, which has devastated Gaza, caused the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, and endangered hostages, could resume.

As the cease-fire shaky, Hamas and Israel are now pursuing two distinct paths: one diplomatic, one military. On the diplomacy side, Hamas is pushing for the implementation of the agreement’s second phase, which includes ending the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of further hostages and prisoners.

However, Mr. Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, has suggested a new proposal: a seven-week extension of the current cease-fire, where Hamas would release half the remaining hostages, both living and deceased. Mr. Netanyahu credited President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witcoff, for this proposal. Israel had signaled for weeks that it wasn’t keen on moving forward with the second phase of the agreement, with the two sides having incompatible views.

Hamas has dismissed the new proposal as an attempt to renege on the original agreement and evade talks for its second phase. Despite this, there are prospects that Hamas could consider trading a small number of hostages or bodies for Palestinian prisoners. The hostages represent Hamas’s most powerful leverage, so every trade weakens their position.

Meanwhile, both Israel and Hamas are preparing for the possibility of renewed conflict.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-cease-fire-assess.html