T
he ceasefire in Gaza that just came into effect marks a decisive turning point in this devastating war, and perhaps even its end. The deal provides for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas in exchange for several hundred Palestinian prisoners and the long-awaited return of humanitarian aid. This brings immense relief to the hostages' families and, more broadly, to Israeli society as a whole. For Palestinians in Gaza, it finally offers hope of beginning to live again without the constant fear of deadly bombardments.
If this first phase of Trump's plan for Gaza were to be fully implemented, others would follow in an effort to build a peace whose outlines remain, to say the least, highly ambiguous. To fully grasp this, one needs to compare its logic to that of another major document drafted by France: the "New York Declaration" on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, which was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly on September 22 by 142 states.
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Macron seeks 'path to peace' with recognition of Palestine at UN meeting
