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Israel and Palestine's Ceasefire: Is War Really Over?

October 13, 2025 | By A. Searcy

After a grueling two years, a ceasefire was finally agreed upon by Israel and Hamas to formally end their war. While all can agree that the war was devastating and took far too many lives, there is still much speculation about the agreement, its next steps, and even if it will be honored at all.

The current agreement, titled the "Implementation Steps for President Trump’s proposal for a ‘Comprehensive End of Gaza War” was signed by President Trump, Israel, Hamas, and mediators in Egypt. Its proposal includes immediate humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages, and the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from the Gaza Strip. The agreement also includes the establishment of a mediator-supported communication mechanism between both sides to exchange information regarding deceased hostages.

The world is following the implementation of this agreement and is acknowledging its successes thus far. On October 13, 2025, 20 Israeli hostages and 2,000 Palestinian detainees were released. Joyful videos full of tears and hope flooded the internet, marking the end of the violent past two years. Further efforts will also be continued to provide aid across Gaza, as pledged by the British Red Cross and the Palestine Red Crescent Society earlier this week.

Efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza have also been made previously. On January 17, 2025, the Biden administration announced a plan to return all hostages, increase humanitarian aid, and withdraw Israeli forces to broader areas within Gaza. During the beginning of its implementation, Israel was accused of violating it by killing Palestinian civilians, and Hamas was accused of hindering the release of its hostages. Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the number of hostages released, and Israel responded by blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza. The ceasefire was formally broken when, on March 18, 2025, Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Gaza.

The world is continuing to follow the current ceasefire, anxiously waiting to see if its results will follow in past tragedy, or be the beginning of a sustained effort for peace and stability.