On October 10th, 2025, a ceasefire occurred between the infamous sovereign entities of which dominate world news: Israel and Palestine (1). It was supposed to be peaceful:a declaration which put an end to the bloodshed and a stopping of the bombs and bullets written on formal paper. It was seemingly the first spark of hope in our downward-spiraling political world. Unfortunately, this ceasefire only went as far as to graze our TV screens in performative handshakes, fake credits, and another excuse to cover up the immeasurable suffering perpetrated towards a group of people. 

Background: 

It is imperative to know the events that led up to this ceasefire to understand the illusion of its existence in the first place. 

So, alas, like any good peace plan, as shown by precedent, cannot start without US involvement.  Not too long ago, President Trump’s 20-point plan of ‘what to do with Gaza’ got approved by the UN Security Council (2). Now, you might be wondering: what exactly is in this plan? Well, it is a lot to uncover. To begin, it isn’t incompetent, as parts of the administration have proven to be in the status quo. But, rather, it lays out great potential plans for the Palestinian people, if done correctly. For example, troops for Gaza or as Trump calls it, the “International Stabilization Force”, a formation which will train Palestinian police to one day take over (2). Bold of Trump to assume that there are any Palestinian police officers left in the first place, as the strip gets bombed unceasingly. Regardless, it is quite a remarkable plan, as at the end of the day, it promises safety and security to the Palestinian people, something we are all equally deserving of. 

Additionally, the plan also proposes the release of all hostages, which, without a doubt, should be happening (2). And missions to save these innocent victims trapped between the cycle of War should absolutely be carried out. The plan promotes things like a Palestinian Government, a small step towards an independent state filled with equal rights (2). However, it is very important not to be fooled. The core of the mission behind this plan is still evident. Trump plans to conduct “reconstruction” of Gaza (2). It is to “rebuild” and “energize” Gaza (2). But, it is important to ask the charged question all looming inside our minds—what exactly is there to rebuild? Is it the buildings long destroyed by bomb fires? Or the limbs severed off of Palestinian children just because they had the misfortune of being born in the midst of a war zone? Is it a change we are trying to construct, or suffering we are trying to censor? 

Trump’s plan behind this ceasefire is nothing short of delusional, as even other countries call it out as bad. The United Nations has estimated that the cost of rebuilding Gaza would amount to $70 billion, a price beyond expensive, and far from humane (2). Governments and even the general public seem to be understanding that this plan for the ceasefire is failing, as raising money for this cause will be hefty. 

What’s Really Happening: 

So, does the word ‘ceasefire’ really live up to its name in this situation? Well, the short answer is no. Updates still show catastrophic problems present in Gaza, as human torment takes on new, unspeakable forms. Muhhamed Shehda, a professional with the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, says, “If you break genocide down to its essence, it’s not only mass killing.” He adds, “It is also destroying the population’s ability to exist together as a group, and that is being achieved by the mass destruction [of infrastructure], the killing, ethnic cleansing, and starvation” (1). Specifically, more individualized news reports highlight the ineffectiveness of the ceasefire. 

For example, the UK government has bravely criticized Israel on its aid delivery to Gaza. A consignment of more than 1,100 tents sent by the government took more than a year to deliver to the people (3). This food shortage for refugees also highlights the lack of resources in Gaza. Currently, the UN warns there are 1.5 million people in need of urgent shelter. (3). Experts have said that the delay of tents should not continue as they are because “The situation in Gaza remains dire, with worsening weather conditions compounding the critical issues caused by damaged infrastructure and over two years of conflict” (3). If this isn’t enough to highlight the atrocities happening under the ceasefire, then it is hard to think of what is. Even with peace, war constantly plagues the lives of the Gazan people. As their home has been so deeply destroyed, even tents cannot be their shelter anymore. 

Notably, the most major point to consider in this ceasefire is how many times it has been broken. Only two months in, Israel has already broken the ceasefire 500 times, resulting in at least 356 Palestinian deaths (1). With so many failures, with so many flaws, with so many little cracks slipping out as bloodshed and decapitated bodies, would you even call this a ceasefire? Just three days ago, Israel promised to investigate a case of a three-year-old child who was allegedly killed by Israeli troops (4). To think that such things have happened after a proposed peace plan, inherently gives the word ‘peace’ a new definition. One written in forgotten stories buried under stones of rubble rather than a place we can follow for growth, or even as something as little as change. 

Conclusions: 

As I sit here today, finishing this article, the death toll in Gaza is still rising. Yes, after a ceasefire. Yes, after a plan meant to protect a whole nationality, people cause more harm than good. With that said, I cannot, in all good consciousness, leave without providing hope, as that would be too pessimistic. Currently, there are Israeli hostages being released. They are being returned to their families in tears, grieving mothers going back to their children who they thought would be dead. Daughters getting fathers back, nieces and nephews finally seeing their aunt again. These are all very good things, fueling humanity towards a better future. I just pray that this future can be provided equally to everyone. 

1. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/12/2/israels-genocide-in-gaza-has-not-stopped-despite-ceasefire-analysts 
2. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/trumps-ceasefire-plan-for-the-israel-hamas-war-faces-pitfalls-as-it-moves-into-new-phase 
3. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlk663555no 
4. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqxqz4227x7o