Gaza ceasefire nine months in: Phase two stalled as violations mount
Nine months after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025 under a Trump administration plan, negotiations for the second phase remain heavily stalled. The first phase involved hostage-prisoner exchanges and a pullback of Israeli forces; by January 2026, all hostages had been returned. However, Gaza's government media office documented over two thousand ceasefire violations through March, including Israeli airstrikes that killed hundreds. The second phase, supposed to cover Hamas disarmament, Israeli military withdrawal, postwar governance, and reconstruction, has made little progress. A disarmament agreement was announced in late July, but Netanyahu has not publicly endorsed it, while Hamas refuses to proceed unless Israel first fulfills its withdrawal commitments. Humanitarian conditions remain dire, with limited aid entering the territory and most Palestinians still displaced from their homes.
Key facts
- Ceasefire began October 10, 2025, under Trump administration's 20-point plan
- First phase completed by January 2026 when last hostage remains were returned to Israel
- Gaza government documented 2,073 ceasefire violations from October 2025 to March 2026
- Israeli airstrikes killed at least 1,100 Palestinians since ceasefire began
- Only 23,019 of 54,000 planned aid trucks entered Gaza by January 9, 2026—43 percent of target
- Disarmament framework announced July 31, 2026; Netanyahu has not publicly accepted it
- Israeli forces control approximately 60 percent of Gaza; ceasefire required 53 percent
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning outlets highlight Israel's repeated violations of the ceasefire and restriction of humanitarian aid, framing the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe. They emphasize Palestinian casualties—over 1,100 killed since October 2025—and argue that Netanyahu is using the military to avoid political accountability while dragging out negotiations that require meaningful concessions from Israel.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning perspectives, though less prominent in search results, emphasize Netanyahu's stated need for security control over Gaza territory. Some right-wing Israeli actors call for expanded Israeli control and renewed settlements, viewing the ceasefire as an opportunity to entrench Israeli military presence rather than withdraw. Israeli far-right figures oppose disarmament agreements as surrenders to Hamas.
Limits of this briefing
Most sources reflect Palestinian and international mediator perspectives; Israeli right-wing voices are underrepresented in available English-language coverage. The situation remains fluid with elections looming in Israel, which may shift negotiating positions.
Sources
- CNN: US and Hamas hold first direct talks since Gaza truce as ceasefire process stalls Centre
- Al Jazeera: 'Neither war nor peace': What Gaza looks like six months into 'ceasefire' Left
- Council on Foreign Relations: A Guide to the Gaza Peace Deal Centre
- J Street: Nine Months In: Assessing the Status of the Gaza Ceasefire Left
- Modern Diplomacy: Netanyahu's Coalition Calculus: The Real Reason Gaza's Ceasefire Keeps Failing Centre