As a first step, if Israel returns the hostages and significant aid gets into Gaza, and if Israelis and Palestinians can stop shooting at each other for a while, that would be good news. But a lasting pause in the conflict will depend on clear sequencing, credible verification, and sustained diplomacy.
A ceasefire agreement regulates the cessation of military activity for a given length of time in a specific area. It may be negotiated between States parties to a conflict or between non-State groups, and it can be part of a larger peace process leading to a comprehensive settlement agreement. Contemporary ceasefire agreements, particularly those involving non-international armed conflicts, often include ad hoc provisions addressing the particular needs of that conflict:
For example, in intrastate conflicts, such as the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the agreements usually contain provisions to guarantee the safety of civilians, the return of hostages and displaced persons, the establishment of a State administration over the territory; disarmament; prosecution of war criminals and amnesties; transitional justice, including trials and reparations; and humanitarian assistance. These issues are often dealt with through a Peace Process, in which a series of discrete steps are taken towards the ultimate goal of a peace treaty (Wippman). Although the terms ceasefire and truce are frequently used interchangeably, there is a distinction between them under international law. In general, the term truce refers to an arrangement by which belligerents refrain from warlike acts for a short time, while an armistice is an actual agreement to suspend military operations (Bailey). A treaty can also specify enforcement action in the event of a breach, while a declaration or an accord does not.