Photo/Illutration Palestinians in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, rejoice following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (The Asahi Shimbun)

We commend Israel and Hamas for reaching a ceasefire agreement to stop fighting in Gaza, although it is hard not to lament that the deal has come too late, considering the tragic loss of life over the past 15 months.

The crucial next step is to address the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza and make consistent strides toward achieving a lasting peace treaty.

Israel and Hamas have reached an official agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, one of the two main Palestinian territories. The agreement also outlines the phased release of hostages in three stages.

In the first stage, starting on Jan. 19, military operations will be suspended for six weeks. Hamas will release 33 hostages, mainly women and elderly individuals, out of approximately 100 captives. In return, Israel will release several hundred detained Palestinians and withdraw its troops from densely populated areas of Gaza.

In the second stage, the remaining hostages will be released, and the Israeli military will fully withdraw from Gaza. The details for this stage, however, have yet to be worked out.

The third stage will focus on the reconstruction of Gaza. There are concerns about the implementation of the second stage onward as its specifics will be negotiated during the first 42 days.

Negotiators were under pressure to finalize the agreement before the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president on Jan. 20. This urgency seemingly led to the decision to delay discussions for a permanent truce, as many contentious issues still need to be resolved to formulate such a deal.

If fighting ceases, it will mark the second pause since November of last year. During that time, over 100 hostages were released, but the agreement fell apart within a week, resulting in a prolonged period of violence and destruction. Repeating the same mistakes would squander all the efforts and resources that were devoted to reaching this latest deal.

Successful implementation of the first stage by Israel and Hamas will lay the groundwork for future progress. With this foundation in place, it is essential for the mediators--the United States, Qatar and Egypt--to facilitate discussions for the second stage, ensuring that mutual distrust does not reignite.

In particular, the Trump administration, which showed a noticeable bias toward Israel during its first term, must recognize that peace and reconstruction in Gaza are essential for stability across the Middle East. It should maintain its long-term involvement to achieve this goal.

Humanitarian aid to Gaza is urgently needed during this break in the fighting. The conflict claimed around 46,000 lives and left 110,000 people injured. Ninety percent of the Gaza population, or 1.9 million people, have been displaced, leading to a critical shortage of all kinds of essential supplies needed to save lives.

With the arrival of winter, temperatures have dropped into single digits, exacerbating a dire public health crisis. Newborns are tragically dying from hypothermia one after another.

According to the United Nations, from last October to the end of the year, its humanitarian aid units made 165 attempts to bring supplies into northern Gaza, but 149 of these missions were denied by Israeli authorities. Vehicles marked with the U.N. logo have also been frequently attacked by the Israeli military. Already, over 360 people involved in aid efforts have lost their lives.

Israel, which has blockaded Gaza and deprived its residents of their freedom, must change its hostile attitude toward U.N. agencies and ensure the safety of humanitarian activities.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 18

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