EDITORIAL — It cannot be a ceasefire without Israel’s participation

The other day, Hamas said it accepted a proposal for a truce in the seven-month-old war in Gaza.

According to the Agence France-Press, Hamas member Khalil al-Hayya told the Al Jazeera channel in Qatar that the proposal agreed to by Hamas includes a three-phased truce starting with a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the return of Palestinians displaced by the war, and a hostage-prisoner exchange, with the goal of a "permanent ceasefire".

The announcement brought cheering crowds out into Gaza’s streets, many of them crying for joy, chanting "Allahu Akbar" and, ironically, shooting in the air in celebration.

But it would seem that Israel isn’t on the same page yet. In fact, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the proposal "is far from Israel's essential demands, but the government will send negotiators for talks to exhaust the potential for arriving at an agreement".

Meaning it has not agreed to any ceasefire yet and all that celebrating, happiness, and hope that people are feeling in Gaza might all be for nothing.

In fact, Israel renewed an order for Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate ahead of a long-threatened invasion of the city.

Peace in Gaza is something many people around the world have been wanting. Definitely not for love of the terrorist organization that is Hamas, but to end the suffering of the innocent people caught in the middle of the war that Hamas forced upon Israel after the October 7 incursions, killings, and abductions.

But what exactly is going on here? Is Hamas desperately trying to force a peace on its own terms? Looking at the “three-phased truce” mentioned above, it seems to favor Hamas more than Israel.

While many people want an end to the war in Gaza, including Israelis who just want their hostages returned safely, Hamas should not be in a position to dictate the terms to end a war it itself started.

More details may become available and perhaps even a decision might have been reached by the time this editorial is published, but as of this writing it would seem that Israel isn’t yet a participant in that ceasefire.