Finally, the much expected and long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was agreed on 15 January and effective from 19 January 2025.
The agreement has three main parts:
(1) In the initial six-week phase, Hamas agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages, including women, the elderly, and individuals with severe humanitarian needs. In return, Israel committed to freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were serving life sentences for involvement in terrorism.
(2) Both parties consented to a complete halt in military operations. Israel agreed to withdraw its forces from populated areas in Gaza, facilitating the return of displaced Palestinians.
(3) The ceasefire aims to enhance the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s residents, addressing critical needs arising from the conflict.
The resilience and amazing spirit of the people of Gaza were coming out of the ghost city of destructions when the ceasefire agreement came into effect in Sunday, 19 January 2025.
In spite of being refugees as homeless and suffering from acute shortage of food, water, electricity, fuel etc due to Israeli blockade for over a year, the return of the Gazans to their land turned into a spontaneous celebration.
There was no shortage of joyful celebration of the families of the 4 captives when they retuned to Israel after Hamas set them free.
A similar ceasefire initiative failed in May 2024 because Israel did not want to stop the war until its goals are not achieved. After 7 October 2023 attack of Hamas killing 1200 Israelis and taking hostage of 250, Israel waged war on Gaza and declare four clearly stated goals:
(1) destroy Hamas,
(2) free the hostages,
(3) ensure Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel, and
(4) return displaced residents of Northern Israel.
Has Israel destroyed Hamas? They may have killed few thousand members of Hamas, but too far away from destroying them. How can you destroy an ideology of protecting ancestral land?
Every Palestinian, let alone members of Hamas, is proud to be martyr for their motherland with no fear of death. No amount of IDF bombing or shelling will kill their dream.
Israel could not free the hostages through its military might, so they were forced to agree on the ceasefire to get the hostages back from Hamas. Interestingly, no freed Israeli hostage have complained of any torture or even misbehaviour against Hamas.
Instead, many of them have praised Hamas for the way they took good care of them in spite of harsh difficulties and constant insecurity due to nonstop attacks of IDF, shortage of food and medicine.
Prof Eitan Shamir on 13 October 2024 wrote that Israel is aiming to create a new security reality in the region by weakening Iran and its proxies, and by demonstrating its clear military superiority over them, Israel will improve its position in future negotiations.
If Israel can show potential allies major military achievements against a common enemy, it can suggest a political plan that will improve its position in the region – but not before then. For Israel there is no end game, only a long game.
Did Israel really win the war? How did Hamas, a paramilitary force of 20,000-30,000 fighters fought against the mighty Israeli defence forces (IDF) of 170,000 active and 465,000 reserve soldiers for over 15 months?
It is well known that Israel is a highly professional and technologically advanced army with full US military, financial and diplomatic support, whereas Hamas is a guerrilla force with very limited resources, relying on homemade rockets and underground tunnels.
Was it a war? Or it was a massacre? How a stateless resistance force like Hamas could fight a war against the state of Israel with sophisticated formal army with full financial and military support of USA?
Hamas has no air defence system or any air power, so Israel had bombed any where in Gaza at any time like striking a sitting duck. The bombed residential houses, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and UN shelters having no respect for international law.
The following AI generated table provides a comparison of the military capabilities of the two fighting parties:
| Category | Israel | Hamas |
| Air Power | Advanced air force with 600 combat aircraft, drones, and air defence systems (e.g., Iron Dome) | Limited use of drones and rudimentary rocket systems |
| Naval Power | Modern navy with corvettes, submarines, and patrol boats | Minimal naval capabilities, including small boats and divers |
| Ground Forces | Tanks (Merkava series), artillery, armoured vehicles, advanced logistics | Light weapons, rocket launchers, IEDs, and small arms |
| Rocket/Missile Systems | Advanced missile systems (e.g., Jericho missiles) and highly accurate guided munitions | Large inventory of unguided rockets (Qassam, Katyusha), longer-range missiles like Fajr-5 |
| Technology | Advanced systems, including cyber warfare units, satellite capabilities, and precision-guided weapons | Basic technological capability; use of smuggling for acquiring arms |
| Intelligence | World-class intelligence agencies (e.g., Mossad, Shin Bet, Aman) | Regional intelligence network; reliant on covert operations |
| Alliances | Strong alliances with the U.S. and European countries; significant military aid | Support from Iran, Hezbollah, and other groups opposed to Israel |
| Strategic Defence | Comprehensive defence systems (e.g., Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow) | Reliance on underground tunnels, hidden launch sites, and civilian shields |
Casualties in Gaza
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, over 46,600 Palestinians have been killed since the onset of hostilities in October 2023. The exact number of people killed in the conflict is unavailable as dead bodies are still being found under the ravels in Gaza.
The United Nations has highlighted that nearly 70% of the verified fatalities are women and children, underscoring the severe impact on these vulnerable populations. Over 1400 children are confirmed to have been killed by IDF.
Many of the surviving children have no parents or even family members alive. Several thousand families are totally destroyed as there are no surviving members.
Additionally, the conflict has resulted in over 110,000 injuries, with approximately 22,500 individuals sustaining life-altering injuries requiring rehabilitation. Severe limb injuries are among the most common, and due to resource constraints, many medical procedures, including amputations, have been conducted with limited or no anaesthesia.
It’s important to note that these figures may be underreported. A study published in prestigious journal The Lancet suggests that the official death toll could be approximately 40% higher than reported, due to challenges in data collection amidst the ongoing conflict.
These statistics reflect the profound human cost of the conflict, with civilians, particularly women and children, bearing a disproportionate burden of the attack of the IDF.
Israeli losses
The initial Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 led to the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis. It is reported that 1,706 Israelis have been killed as of January 8, 2025.
Approximately 30,000 Israelis left the country between November 2023 and March 2024, with Greece being a notable destination due to its proximity and favorable visa policies. By December 2023, nearly 500,000 Israelis had departed to other countries since the onset of the conflict.
The Israel attacks on Hamas since October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant military and financial losses for Israel including $34 billion military and over $67 billion economic loss.
International cost
South Africa launched a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over alleged genocide in Palestine on December 29, 2023. They complained that Israel has committed genocidal acts and genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in violation of the Genocide Convention.
By correctly pointing out Israel’s 75-year apartheid, 56-year occupation, and 16-year blockade of the Strip, South Africa requested that the ICJ indicate provisional measures of protection, including the immediate suspension of Israel’s operations.
Israel characterized South Africa’s charges as “baseless”, accusing the country of “functioning as the legal arm” of Hamas. Fourteen other countries including Bolivia, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Maxico, Turkiye, Chilie and Columbia joined South Africa against Israel.
The Court concluded that it is plausible that Israel’s actions in Gaza Strip could amount to genocide and issued provisional measures, in which it ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent any acts contrary to the 1948 Genocide Convention, but did not order Israel to suspend its military campaign.
In late February 2024, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International asserted that Israel had failed to comply with the ICJ’s provisional measures and that obstructing the entry and distribution of aid amounted to war crimes.
Recognition of state of Palestine
On 14 November 2024, at a UN committee, Australia voted with 158 other countries, including the UK and New Zealand, on a resolution to recognise the “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”.
Protests Israeli massacre
University students and public in all large cities across the Western word have been protesting against the Israeli occupation and killing in Gaza led by pro-Palestinian organisations such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
They are demanding for the end to Israeli military operations in Gaza; calls for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel; greater US accountability for its financial and military support of Israel; and advocacy for Palestinian self-determination and human rights.
US support
It is very clear that without continuing US support, Israel would have failed to continue its military massacre in Gaza. By supporting the occupier and their genocidal acts the US has lost its credibility of being a peacemaker.
In fact, US is equally responsible for the destruction of Gaza and murder of so many innocent lives. In reality, the whole world now know that US has sacrificed all moral and western values to support the open criminal acts of Israel.
Future of Palestine
Gaza has stood for all people of Palestine. Hamas has led the resistance against Israeli attacks and occupation including West Bank.
The so-called Palestinian Authority has no credibility and trust of people of Palestine. Every ordinary Palestinian, be in Gaza or West Bank, consider Hamas as their protector.
The future of Palestine should be determined by the people of Palestine giving them a free and fair choice between Hamas and people running the PA.
No imposed solution or rule by the Arabs or the West will bring real and sustainable peace in the region if the will and aspiration of the people of Palestine is not reflected and respected.
Disclaimer: The opinion in this article is of the author and no way reflects that of any of the affiliated institutions of the author.
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