New York and nationwide groups are cautiously optimistic about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.
Phase one involves a 42-day ceasefire and gradual withdrawal of troops. Israel will release thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Hamas releasing the remaining hostages taken in October 2023.
Sonya Meyerson-Knox, communications director for the group Jewish Voice for Peace, said ending the onslaught of attacks against Palestine is highly beneficial.
"Palestinians will be able to reunite with the loved ones some of them have been separated from for 15 months," Meyerson-Knox pointed out. "They'll be able to work on locating and burying their dead. They'll be able to access medical care without risking getting shot at."
Phase two of the ceasefire calls for allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, ending the Israeli military's blockade. She thinks certain measures must be in later stages of the ceasefire for it to be effective, including stopping any plans for future Israeli settlements in parts of Gaza, ensuring Israeli troops are fully withdrawn, and ending the 17-year siege on Gaza so Palestinians can live their daily lives.
While many people are eager to see peace, many challenges could dissolve the ceasefire deal. Meyerson-Knox noted Israel has a shaky history of abiding with ceasefires it has brokered. She added a major challenge is how the incoming Trump administration shapes the rest of the ceasefire deal.
"Trump and Netanyahu are well committed to entrenching Israeli apartheid, expanding the dispossession of Palestinians from their home and their land, reinforcing the military occupation," Meyerson-Knox outlined. "Trump has never been anything more than an active supporter of these autocratic governments across the Middle East."
The ceasefire could have other international implications. In November, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's arrest for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Meyerson-Knox stressed it could lead to a much-needed reckoning for countries flouting international law.
"I think and I hope this is a moment of reconsideration for the international community," Meyerson-Knox added. "That some of the changes we've seen in government worldwide might actually lead to a recommitment and a doubling down to international protocols or understandings of international law."
