Israel Agrees to Ceasefire, Tying It to Hostage Release and Hamas’s End as a Military Force

Israel has agreed to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, but has explicitly tied it to two fundamental conditions: the release of all hostages and the end of Hamas as a military force. A senior official confirmed Israel’s acceptance of a U.S. proposal that formalizes this linkage.
This move clarifies that, from Israel’s perspective, a ceasefire is not an isolated event but the outcome of a process that must first deliver on its key objectives. The government will not agree to end the war without a resolution to the hostage crisis and the removal of the military threat from Hamas.
The proposal on the table is therefore not just about stopping the fighting; it’s about reshaping the future of Gaza. It envisions a post-war scenario where Hamas may have a political role but is stripped of its weapons and ability to wage war, a condition that remains a major hurdle.
With Israel’s position so clearly defined, the diplomatic challenge is to persuade Hamas that accepting these terms is in the best interest of the Palestinian people. The offer of a permanent peace and reconstruction is a powerful incentive, but it comes at the high price of their military surrender.