Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Update

On January 19, 2025, displaced Palestinians made their way through the debris in the northern Gaza Strip as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect.

Hamas has released three Israeli hostages as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement with Israel. The hostages, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Alexander Troufanov and Yair Horn were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Saturday. This marks the sixth exchange since the ceasefire that began four weeks ago.

In exchange, Israel has also freed over 300 Palestinian detainees. This is all in accordance with the ceasefire aimed at decreasing tensions between both sides and releasing prisoners on either side. Over 33 Israeli hostages and more than 2,000 Palestinian detainees have so far been released. But Hamas threatened to stop releasing the Israeli hostages as they believe that Israel is not honoring the ceasefire deal and is delaying to release the captives. As a way to prevent this ceasefire from breaking down, Egypt and Qatar are making efforts to provide support.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to speed up the rate of hostage releases with six more expected this week. Currently, the ceasefire is uncertain to continue or fail which is the reason for the efforts to relieve tension. If the ceasefire fails, violence between the two countries may reignite.

As for the United States, President Donald Trump stated their support for Israel. If Israel or Hamas decide to return to violence, the United States will help Israel via military support and diplomatic support. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is planning to negotiate President Trump’s decision to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza. 

With the ceasefire reaching its middle, the situation appears unstable. Whether this ceasefire will be successful or not relies on the compliance of the two sides with the agreement terms and on international efforts to de-escalate tensions and solve this war.