“truce”, “lull”, “ceasefire”… Why doesn’t anyone use the same word?

An agreement with Hamas was approved by Israel last night to release hostages. In exchange, the temporary cessation of fighting. But on this point, words differ on both sides of the border.

There is one thing that is striking since Israel announced that it had given the green light for an agreement with Hamas, which provides for the release of around fifty hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a pause in the fighting. And on this last point precisely, some speak of “truce”, the others of“lull”.

In fact, behind it, there is a strong domestic political issue in Israel. The Prime Minister cannot let people think that he is giving up ground for the recovery of his hostages. Benyamin Netanyahu must indeed deal with the weight of the far right and the accumulation of criticism of his security policy. The government is therefore talking about“lull” in the fights.

This is not the end of the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear even before his government met to decide the position on the agreement. “The Israeli government, Israeli army and security forces will continue the war to return all abductees, eliminate Hamas and ensure that there is no further threat to the State of Israel from Gaza”, the government confirmed after its vote. Operations will resume “at full force”, added the Minister of Defense. The goal of annihilating the Palestinian group remains in sight.

Three Palestinians for one Israeli

For Hamas, this agreement is a “humanitarian truce”. It is both a way of trying to show a slightly less radical face and a way of speaking in the name of the Palestinian cause. The movement pretends to be concerned about the civilians in the enclave who are today paying the price of this war very dearly. He also emphasizes that it is he who obtains results with his method of war: the release of prisoners, on a ratio of three Palestinians to one Israeli according to initial information. In 2011, an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was freed in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

If the words are different, one question remains: will the guns fall silent, even briefly? It’s in everyone’s best interest at the moment. The Israelis want to find as many hostages as possible to get out of this tragedy and simplify things on the ground, Hamas wants to achieve a political result to embody Palestinian resistance. And behind all this there is the issue of the safety of the hostages during the operation.

But these truces are always fragile. In 2014, ceasefires were regularly broken. The slightest spark can ignite the powder. Anyway, this “truce” or this “lull” will not come into force before Friday, November 23 in the morning. Israel must still clear a possible appeal to the Supreme Court. Until then, the fighting is expected to continue.