The Ceasefire Is a Beginning, Not the End

The work for a lasting peace now begins.

Along with so many others, I celebrate the ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages. For the first time in years, there is a pause, a moment to breathe. But peace does not arrive simply because bombs fall silent. It must be built, piece by piece, from the wreckage of what came before.

This moment offers only the beginning of what could be lasting peace and prosperity. To move beyond the heartbreak of the past two years, Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims around the world, will need to forge something entirely new.

History teaches that a ceasefire or prisoner exchange can create a rare opening for peace, but windows close quickly when the scaffolding for peace is not immediately built.

Conditions That Give Hope

• Broad international alignment: The United States, Egypt, Jordan, and the European Union have all signaled support for sustaining the pause and developing a roadmap to peace.

• Public exhaustion with war: Widespread fatigue, in Israel, Gaza, and beyond, creates social space for de-escalation.

• Operational capacity for aid: The infrastructure for humanitarian relief in Gaza, though battered, still exists and can be scaled.

• Legal and diplomatic pressure: International courts and regional actors are pushing for accountability and long-term frameworks.

Obstacles That Endure

• West Bank instability: Settlement expansion and settler violence continue to inflame politics and undermine any horizon for peace.

• Fragile political leadership: Israel’s governing coalition rewards hardline positions; the Palestinian Authority lacks legitimacy; and militant factions remain unpredictable.

• Unimaginable destruction in Gaza: Rebuilding physical and psychological infrastructure will take years, not months.

• No shared vision of the endgame: Ending hostilities is not the same as agreeing on the future. Sovereignty, security, and self-determination remain undefined.

• Regional spoilers: Iran-aligned groups and other actors retain the capacity to derail progress.

Moving Towards Lasting Peace

The politics of this war have divided even those who share values of justice and safety among American Jews, among Democrats, and across civic life. I hope that these rifts do not harden and we can find common ground and work together..

We move forward by pairing Jewish safety with Palestinian rights, and by demanding U.S. leadership that reflects both. That won’t happen without pressure.

We’ve been here before. Ceasefire, hostages, then ruin. This time, the U.S. must use its leverage to keep Israel and Gaza moving forward, with Arab partners and Europe helping with governance and rebuilding Gaza.

At the same time, Washington must use its weight to halt West Bank annexation and end settler violence.

The work of peace has only begun. The question is whether we in the U.S., in Israel, in Palestine, and around the world have the imagination, courage, leadership, and patience to finish it.