Gaza ceasefire enters second year with limited progress on core issues
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began in October 2025 is now in its second phase, but implementation remains stalled on key objectives. The Trump administration proposed a 20-point plan involving three phases: hostage exchanges, humanitarian aid, disarmament of Hamas, Israeli withdrawal, and reconstruction. By November 2026, nearly 1,600 Palestinians had been killed since the ceasefire began, according to Palestinian health authorities. Major obstacles persist. Israel maintains control over roughly half of Gaza and has not fully withdrawn. Hamas has agreed to staged disarmament but says it won't proceed unless Israel withdraws. International mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey continue negotiations, but the agreement remains fragile with both sides accusing each other of violations. Aid flows remain below agreed levels, and a planned International Stabilization Force has not been fully deployed.
Key facts
- A US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began October 10, 2025, involving a 20-point Trump administration plan
- The ceasefire operates in phases: phase one involved hostage-prisoner exchanges; phase two began in January 2026 focused on Hamas disarmament, governance, and reconstruction
- As of October 2026, Israeli forces killed 1,538 Palestinians since the ceasefire, with 765 killed between October 2025 and April 2026 according to different Palestinian sources
- Israel maintains control over approximately 50-55 percent of Gaza territory, contradicting the agreed full withdrawal stipulation
- Only 23,019 humanitarian trucks entered Gaza between October 2025 and January 2026 versus 54,000 agreed upon
- Hamas agreed in July 2026 to staged disarmament but conditioned implementation on Israeli force withdrawal
- Key negotiating parties include the US Board of Peace, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and international mediators, with ongoing talks held in Cairo and Doha
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Progressive outlets highlight continued Israeli military operations and casualties since the ceasefire, describing a situation of 'neither war nor peace.' They emphasize humanitarian devastation, inadequate aid delivery falling short of agreement terms, and restrictions on Palestinian movement. Left-leaning sources stress that the ceasefire exists only on paper and that Palestinians continue to suffer under what they characterize as prolonged occupation and systematic restrictions.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning and Israeli sources emphasize security concerns and Hamas's failure to disarm, arguing this justifies continued Israeli military presence and restrictions. They highlight delays in hostage information releases and frame Israeli military actions as responses to security threats. These sources present Israel's position that full withdrawal is conditional on verified Hamas disarmament and that Israel must retain 'operational control' to prevent re-armament.
Limits of this briefing
Some reports use contested terminology and casualty figures that differ between sources; Israeli military sources sometimes dispute Palestinian casualty counts. Recent articles from Iran-backed outlets may reflect Tehran's geopolitical interests rather than neutral analysis. Data on ceasefire violations is collected and reported differently by various parties, making precise verification difficult.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: US declares phase two of Gaza ceasefire, but what did phase one deliver? Left
- Council on Foreign Relations: A Guide to the Gaza Peace Deal Centre
- FDD's Long War Journal: Gaza peace plan sees slow progress after Hamas meets in Cairo Right
- J Street: Nine Months In: Assessing the Status of the Gaza Ceasefire Left
- Arab Center Washington DC: The Gaza Ceasefire That Quieted the World Left