A Ceasefire with Hamas, Not a Cure: The Unresolved Sickness of the Conflict

The recent agreement announced on Saturday acts as a powerful ceasefire, a desperately needed medicine to treat the immediate, bleeding wounds of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is a monumental step that will save lives. However, it is crucial to understand that this is a treatment for the symptoms, not a cure for the underlying sickness. Several deep-rooted obstacles ensure that a lasting solution remains a distant prospect.
The first obstacle is the immediate and fragile aftercare: implementation. The process prescribed—releasing hostages, pulling back military forces, and forming a new government—is fraught with risks. Like a complex surgery, any single error or infection of mistrust could lead to a catastrophic failure, causing a relapse into violence that could be worse than the initial condition.
The second major issue is the persistent pathogen of arms. The deal’s framework calls for the disarmament of Hamas, but the group has not agreed to this radical procedure. As long as Hamas remains a potent military force, the political body of the region will remain infected with instability. This armed presence is a chronic condition that threatens any attempt at long-term health and peaceful coexistence.
The third, and most profound, obstacle is the set of untreated, pre-existing conditions. The core drivers of the conflict—the final status issues of borders, Jerusalem, refugee rights, and Palestinian statehood—have been deliberately left unaddressed. Hamas has stated these require a “unified national position,” essentially scheduling a future, high-stakes consultation over the most painful and divisive aspects of the conflict’s history.
Therefore, while we celebrate the ceasefire for the immediate relief it brings, we must be sober about the prognosis. This deal creates a new, managed state of affairs and provides a vital period of recovery. But it is not a final cure. Achieving a real, lasting peace will require more than a temporary cessation of hostilities; it will require a comprehensive treatment plan to address the fundamental sickness that has plagued the region for generations.