A truce has been declared. The deal announced on Saturday is a significant victory for diplomacy, successfully halting the immediate war of weapons and bombs. But as the guns fall silent, a new and perhaps more difficult war begins: the war for a lasting peace. This new battle will be fought not on the fields of combat, but at the negotiating table and in the corridors of power, against three formidable adversaries.
The first adversary is complexity. The implementation of the truce is a campaign in itself, requiring the strategic maneuvering of hostages, troops, and political assets. This phase is a logistical minefield, where any misstep can be as devastating as a battlefield loss. Winning this battle requires precision, trust, and a flawless execution of the plan, all of which are in short supply.
The second adversary is the specter of armed power. The terms of a final peace call for the disarmament of Hamas, but the group has not surrendered its primary weapon: its military wing. As long as Hamas remains a potent fighting force, it wages a constant psychological war against stability. This armed presence undermines security and trust, making any long-term political settlement feel like a temporary ceasefire rather than a final victory.
The third and greatest adversary is history itself. The truce deliberately avoids the historical grievances at the heart of the conflict: the final status issues of borders, Jerusalem, refugees, and statehood. These are the generational battlegrounds that have claimed countless lives and defied every peacemaker. Hamas has already declared that these battles will be fought in the future, ensuring that the war for a final resolution has been postponed, not won.
Therefore, while we celebrate the end of the shooting war, we must prepare for the long campaign ahead. This truce is a crucial first victory, a strategic position from which to launch the next phase. It saves lives and creates an opportunity. But the war for a real, lasting peace has just begun, and its outcome is far from certain.