Making the Israel–Palestine Ceasefire Agreement Workable; A Framework for Sustainable Peace.

​Making the Israel–Palestine Ceasefire Agreement Workable; A Framework for Sustainable Peace

 

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian resistance groups represents an important opening in a conflict defined by mistrust, shifting political pressures, and recurring cycles of violence. Yet history shows that ceasefires in the region often collapse before they can mature into meaningful political progress. To prevent another breakdown, the current agreement must evolve from a fragile, temporary pause into a structured, enforceable, and mutually beneficial roadmap.

 

This requires more than signatures; it demands institutional guarantees, clear timelines, accountability mechanisms, humanitarian stability, and political legitimacy on both sides. Below is a strategic framework outlining how the ceasefire can be made truly workable.

 

1. Establish a Joint International Monitoring Mission

 

One of the foremost reasons ceasefires fail is the absence of trusted monitoring. Both sides accuse the other of violations, and without neutral verification, tensions escalate rapidly.

 

Key Components

• UN-mandated observers from neutral countries (e.g., Norway, Japan, Brazil, South Africa).

• Real-time monitoring technology, including satellite feeds and open-access reporting.

• Daily publicly available reports to ensure transparency.

 

A monitored ceasefire reduces ambiguity and prevents misinformation — both major triggers of renewed hostilities.

 

2. Define Clear, Step-by-Step Implementation Phases

 

Most past agreements collapsed because commitments were ambiguous or front-loaded, placing pressure on one side without parallel steps from the other.

 

The ceasefire must include:

 

Phase 1: Immediate Humanitarian Relief

• Full and unhindered access for medical supplies, food, fuel, and water.

• Creation of humanitarian corridors supervised by neutral entities.

 

Phase 2: Gradual Military De-escalation

• Verified troop withdrawal from designated conflict zones.

• Strict no-fly and no-strike commitments.

 

Phase 3: Political and Reconstruction Dialogue

• Talks on reconstruction, governance, and eventual political status.

• International guarantees for financial support to rebuild Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

 

Phase 4: Long-Term Security Arrangements

• Mechanisms to prevent smuggling of weapons.

• Guarantees against forced displacement or demographic alteration.

 

A sequenced plan, synchronized for both sides, reduces political risks and encourages compliance.

 

3. Address the Humanitarian Crisis as a Core Priority — Not a Side Issue

 

A ceasefire will not last if daily life remains unlivable for Palestinians. Without stability, despair breeds radicalization, and moderate voices lose influence.

 

Steps to Stabilize Everyday Life

• Reopening hospitals, schools, and public utilities.

• Guaranteeing at least 80–100 aid trucks per day under international oversight.

• Reconnecting Gaza’s electrical grid and telecommunications.

• Strengthening local governance institutions so civilians can resume normal activity.

 

People who can work, eat, and live with dignity are more likely to support peace — not war.

 

4. Secure the Agreement Through Multilateral Guarantees

 

Relying on one or two countries for mediation has consistently failed. Multiple global and regional actors must become co-guarantors of the agreement.

 

Recommended Partners

• United Nations

• United States

• European Union

• Saudi Arabia & Gulf Cooperation Council

• Egypt & Qatar

• Turkey

• African Union

 

Each stakeholder contributes different leverage — political, economic, diplomatic. A multilateral system spreads responsibility and reduces the chance of collapse.

 

5. Create a Permanent Ceasefire Review Council

 

Lasting peace demands permanent communication. A Ceasefire Review Council (CRC) should meet weekly with representatives from:

• Israel

• Palestinian factions

• UN peace facilitators

• Regional guarantor nations

 

The CRC would:

• Mediate disputes quickly

• Resolve violations before escalation

• Issue regular progress statements

• Maintain a hotline for emergencies

 

This prevents small incidents from spiraling into full-scale war.

 

6. Integrate Economic Cooperation and Reconstruction

 

Economic hopelessness fuels instability. Sustainable peace requires:

• A Reconstruction Fund for Gaza with transparent governance.

• Job-creation programs, especially for youth.

• International investment in housing, energy, and transport.

• Leveraging Gaza’s coastline for future trade and maritime development.

 

Economic interdependence reduces incentive for renewed conflict.

 

7. Commit to a Political Horizon — A Path Toward Statehood

 

Without addressing the political roots of the conflict, no ceasefire can succeed. The agreement must include:

• A timeline for renewed political negotiations.

• Guarantees against settlement expansion and forced displacement.

• Recognition of Palestinian political legitimacy and unity efforts.

 

A ceasefire without a political future is only an intermission before the next war.

 

Conclusion

 

To make the ceasefire workable, the world must treat it not as an ending, but as a beginning — the first step toward a just and lasting peace.

True stability will come when humanitarian relief, security guarantees, economic development, and political negotiations work together under international supervision.

 

Peace is not achieved by hope alone; it is built through systems, transparency, and shared responsibility.

 

Author

 

Syed Ali Raza Naqvi Bukhari

Unity of Peace, Economic Reform, and Global Unity

Founder & Chairman of Tehreek Istehkam Pakistan, and the author of “Law of God” and “Social Democratic System.” Advocates for truth, social justice, and reform in all sectors of society.