January 16, 2025

Hamas-Israel Ceasefire Deal: Biden's Questionable Swan Song

President Biden has been taking the credit for the latest Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal. The deal constitutes Biden's outgoing swan song after more than a year of failed ceasefire deals.

The ceasefire is scheduled to begin on Sunday January 19, 2025. Hopefully It will last past Trump's Inauguration which occurs the next day - January 20, 2025. 

The standard advisor prediction approach is glass half empty, meaning be slightly pessimistic - rather than an optimistic fool. 

Marika Sosnowski, Postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia, advised on January 16, 2025 “Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire. It doesn’t guarantee a peaceful end to a devastating war.” See all of Marika Sosnowski’s excellent article at https://theconversation.com/israel-and-hamas-have-agreed-to-a-ceasefire-it-doesnt-guarantee-a-peaceful-end-to-a-devastating-war-247338

Marika Sosnowski is implicitly pessimistic when she notes:

“In structure and content, this ceasefire closely resembles numerous others that have been proposed over the past year, including the 7+2 day truce agreed in November 2023.”

“As US President Joe Biden said, this agreement “is the exact framework of the deal I proposed in May” [2024].

“During the first phase, there will be a temporary suspension of military operations by Israel and Hamas, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces east towards the border between Israel and Gaza and away from densely populated areas.”

“There will also be a temporary suspension of air activity (for military and reconnaissance purposes) in the Gaza Strip, particularly when hostages are released.”

“Over the past 12 months, Hamas has agreed to the text of a ceasefire a number of times only to have the terms altered by Israel and no agreement reached.”

“Hamas has tried to alter the ceasefire’s terms too.”

“But because of the power differential, it [Hamas] has been relatively unsuccessful in pressuring Israel to agree to its demands.”

“…But it is telling that in the past, Israel has simply arrested other Palestinians or re-arrested many of those released under similar deals.”

“…there are currently no written assurances the ceasefire will continue beyond the first phase if there is no agreement reached for the second phase.”

“For similar deals that were previously on the table, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear he would continue the war to destroy Hamas after the initial phase.”

The war between Hamas and Israel is of course not over. This ceasefire simply marks the start of a new phase.”

See all of Marika Sosnowski’s excellent article at https://theconversation.com/israel-and-hamas-have-agreed-to-a-ceasefire-it-doesnt-guarantee-a-peaceful-end-to-a-devastating-war-247338

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