How Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will help Indian interests in West Asia – Firstpost

The world rejoices at the historic Israel-Hamas ceasefire after 15 months of catastrophic warfare that has left Gaza in ruins. A conflict that has taken the lives of 50,000-plus people and which many believe would have led to a full-fledged war in the Middle East and marked the beginning of World War III.

The ceasefire is backed by a deal that is supposed to be implemented in three phases, starting Sunday. Hamas finally approved the terms of the ceasefire agreement on Wednesday, January 15th.

An Israeli Cabinet meeting that was supposed to approve it was delayed on Thursday due to some rumblings from some of Netanyahu’s far-right allies, but the future looks more promising than it has in a while when it comes to the Middle East.

The armistice and hostage deal was reached after Qatar Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani acted as the mediator between the Israelis and Hamas.

The truce deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US will take six weeks to complete and focuses on the release of hostages and the boosting of humanitarian aid to the devastated and beleaguered Gaza Strip.

In the first 42-day phase, Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages, including minors, female soldiers, and those above the age of 50. In exchange, Israel has agreed to release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli female soldier released by Hamas and 30 for other hostages.

If one thing has been made clear, it is how much more Israelis value Israelis than Hamas values Palestinian lives.

This deal was reached as public and diplomatic pressure mounted on Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and US President-elect Donald Trump was adamant on getting American hostages out and back home. At the heart of all of this, of course, is Iran, now the target of the Trump administration as well as Israel.Though the ceasefire has been agreed upon, there’s still a long way to go before peace can be achieved.

The peace in Gaza will only be realised if there is the successful comeback of a re-energized and reconstructed Palestinian Authority. However, there are some roadblocks to such a return.

The Palestinian Authority’s growing domestic unpopularity, deepening financial crises, and the rise of authoritarianism are all obstructive factors. Also, Hamas needs to be supportive of any new governance or security measures implemented in post-conflict Gaza, as they continue to hold the veto power over Gaza’s future.

Since there is a complete and utter lack of faith between all parties, Gaza will require intentional international monitoring to oversee the implementation of the truce deal over the next few months. Arab states have already indicated their willingness to support the terms of the deal as long as Israel discontinues their quest for occupation.

Europeans are also now required to find ways to support a sovereign Palestinian state, which will include recognising the State of Palestine as per the 1967 orders and banning Israeli settlement trade.Europeans must also intensify their support for Palestinian reconciliation and make efforts to ensure the return of Palestine’s democratic fabric.

Of course, Saudi Arabia will be another crucial player. Europe must form a clear strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia to deploy towards American and Israeli governments.

The “Arab Vision”, a document authored by the Arab League and presented to the US Secretary of State and several other international bodies in early 2024, needs to be consulted, which offers Israel full regional integration if Israel allows a rebuilt Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza and begin with the implementation of a two-state solution.

Donald Trump, once he resumes office, should revitalise the plan and use the POTUS office’s leverage to ensure Israel follows through on their promises.

Europe finds itself in a unique position to be able to work with the Arab states to convince the Trump administration that enabling Palestinians to rehabilitate themselves and achieve a certain degree of independence remains the only way to guarantee a complete and much-needed truce between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

India welcomes this ceasefire with great warmth and cheer, as we hope that this will finally lead to a cessation of hostilities in the region and humanitarian aid will reach those who need it the most. It means that now several strategic opportunities will now arise for us and others in the region. One such project that was halted by the October 7 attack, the IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Corridor) will resume again.

This project was signed by eight countries: India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the EU, France, Germany, and Italy, in September 2023, in New Delhi. The IMEC project is significant for India with many geopolitical and economic advantages for us, as it is focused on increasing global cooperation and becoming a part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII).

The IMEC will now move ahead as an economic corridor from India across the Middle East into Europe. It is touted as an alternative to China’s One Belt One Road project, as it will strengthen communication and transport channels through shipping and railway networks.

According to a report by the Hudson Institute Think Tank, “India’s involvement in the negotiations between Israel and the UAE that ultimately resulted in the Abraham Accords marks another significant diplomatic shift towards greater flexibility and engagement.”

With the political instability in the Middle East about to receive a respite, India heaves a sigh of relief as we look forward to peace in the region and go ahead with initiatives such as the IMEC that will promote global cooperation and peace after months of walking on a tightrope diplomatically. A remarkable feat that the whole world is congratulating us for pulling off so well.

Here’s to hoping for every hostage to be reunited with their homes and families and a happy ending, post the horrific nightmare that they have all experienced over the many months that have lapsed since the conflict began.

The author is a freelance journalist and features writer based out of Delhi. Her main areas of focus are politics, social issues, climate change and lifestyle-related topics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.