Amid the flood of news on the much-anticipated ceasefire, rapidly evolving changes in U.S. politics have also heavily influenced the situation in Gaza.

Before the ceasefire took place, 1200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. The resulting Israeli attack on Gaza has killed around 47,000 Palestinians, BBC reports. Most of the 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza have been displaced due to mass evacuation amidst continuous strikes.

Following 15 months of intense conflict, a ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by Egyptian and Qatari mediators with support from the United States. This agreement, mapped out in 3 stages, has led to the release of hostages and prisoners on both sides. The first stage involving the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners is underway.

According to BBC and Reuters, as part of Stage 1, Hamas released 21 Israeli hostages, including individuals with dual U.S. and French citizenship, in exchange for 583 Palestinian prisoners since Jan. 19, 2025. The most recent exchange has been on Feb. 8, 2025, Hamas released 3 Israeli hostages—Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy—as part of a ceasefire agreement. The exchange involved Israel freeing 183 Palestinian prisoners. Seventy of those are expected to be deported via Egypt to neighbouring countries. A further 16 will be deported to Gaza and the rest will be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. As per the ceasefire agreement, Israeli troops have to leave and are allowed to remain in specific demarcated areas around Gaza’s borders.

The ceasefire has also allowed for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Guardian reports that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened for the first time in months, allowing 50 Palestinian patients to cross into Egypt for medical treatment. According to BBC, during stage 1 600 lorries of aid have to be allowed per day based on the deal and half will go to Northern Gaza where aid has been the most difficult to acquire. This reopening will be a much-needed reprieve for the famine-bound areas in the north and is seen as a significant step towards maintaining the fragile ceasefire. Finally, as part of Stage 1, hundreds of thousands of Gazans have been allowed to return. However, around 60-70% of the buildings have been estimated to be damaged and destroyed alongside most of the other infrastructure in the area.

Reuters reports that Israel postponed the release of Palestinian prisoners due to concerns over public celebrations in Palestinian territories when hostages were being released. Following this, buses transporting Palestinian detainees scheduled for release were instructed to return to Israeli prisons after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a delay. The most recent exchange involved bringing them with gunmen on a stage in Gaza, holding certificates, before being handed over to vehicles of the Red Cross. There have been further issues raised about having any sort of public exchange. The International Committee of the Red Cross has advocated for future exchanges to be conducted privately and with dignity, emphasizing the need for humane treatment of all individuals involved.

In addition, recent reports indicate that Hamas has held hostages within facilities associated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in Gaza. UNRWA has described these allegations as "very serious" and noted that they lacked access to their facilities during the conflict. The agency is currently under an Israeli ban, which has restricted its activities. The Israeli government has accused UNRWA of employing militants, a claim the agency denies, though it took instant action and dismissed nine employees who were suspected even without enough evidence. BBC reports that currently there is still insufficient evidence for this claim. UNRWA's Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, has expressed concerns over the agency's ability to continue its operations amid these pressures. The ban on UNRWA activities and the loss of funding from the U.S. have led to the displacement of international staff and a reduction in services, severely affecting areas including health, education, and food distribution. As of recent reports, approximately 1.1 million Palestine refugees in Gaza rely on UNRWA for food assistance.

As Stage 1 progresses, discussions surrounding prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas are ongoing. Precarious negotiations on Stage 2 have begun. This is to include 1) A permanent ceasefire 2) Remaining living hostages and prisoners to be exchanged and 3) Israel will make a complete withdrawal of forces.

In response to the demands of this stage, Benjamin Netanyahu has previously declared that they have not given up on their aims to destroy Hamas entirely, but also want to secure the return of all the hostages. The permanent withdrawal of any troops from the region has been the most controversial point of Stage 2.

In the mid-term as part of the final stage, diplomatic efforts will likely shift toward longer-term security arrangements and de-escalation measures. Al Jazeera suggests that Palestinian political reconciliation could become a central issue, particularly with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority struggling over future governance in Gaza since the issue of Palestinian sovereignty and statehood also remains unaddressed. The ceasefire is also limited to the boundaries of Gaza which raises concerns and questions about the West Bank.

After his entry into office, President Trump has made key statements and decisions that have serious implications for the unfolding ceasefire, and have detracted attention from the events of the ceasefire itself.

A few days after entering office, President Trump lifted sanctions imposed by his predecessor on certain Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a move celebrated by the Israeli far-right. Following this, on Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid," initiating a 90-day suspension of all U.S. foreign development assistance programs. This suspension impacted aid to Gaza, among other regions. It has extended its suspension of funding to UNRWA until at least March 2025.

This is an important reminder that the ceasefire does not end with the ‘release’ of prisoners because they are re-entering a landscape of wreckage, demolished homes and lost relatives. While the focus remains on the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages who have managed to survive this ordeal, the thousands of lives lost in Gaza until this deal was reached cannot be forgotten. However, some Palestinian prisoners have reportedly stated that they would rather live in a tent above what was once their home than foreign territory.

The coming weeks will determine whether this ceasefire serves as a step toward de-escalation or another fleeting pause. Despite the diplomatic success in halting immediate violence, the unresolved core issues that fuel the cycle of conflict remain, leaving the future uncertain.