In a statement that shook headlines worldwide, former US President Donald Trump declared that the “Gaza war is over.” His words came as Israel and Hamas began releasing captives in a cautious, fragile ceasefire one that could mark the beginning of peace or just another temporary pause in one of the world’s most stubborn conflicts.

According to Al Jazeera’s live coverage, Hamas handed over seven Israeli captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross and is expected to release thirteen more. The move comes amid a broader agreement that also involves the gradual release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, currently numbering in the thousands.

This is the first significant breakthrough since the brutal escalation began months ago, a war that left Gaza in ruins and Israel deeply scarred. But Trump’s declaration raises a larger question: Is the war truly “over,” or has it just entered a quieter, more complicated phase?

A Deal Shrouded in Caution

Both sides are treading carefully. The ceasefire deal reportedly brokered with mediation from Egypt and Qatar includes conditions for humanitarian aid, reconstruction efforts, and ongoing dialogue. But as every historian of this region knows, “ceasefire” doesn’t always mean “peace.” It often means “intermission.”

Israel’s leadership, still reeling from internal political pressure, has maintained that security concerns remain paramount. Hamas, meanwhile, claims victory in survival and negotiation power. The optics matter deeply: each side wants to appear strong in front of their own people, even as they inch toward compromise.

That’s the paradox of this moment: the ceasefire feels both historic and precarious. It’s a handshake offered with the other hand still gripping a weapon.

Trump’s “Peace Tour”: Optics or Opportunity?

Trump’s arrival in the Middle East this week where he’s set to address Israel’s Knesset and co-chair a summit in Egypt has added political theater to an already dramatic stage. Declaring the “Gaza war over” plays into his long-standing brand as a dealmaker, but critics argue it’s premature and dangerously simplistic.

Geopolitical analysts point out that such statements, while headline-grabbing, can undermine delicate negotiations still unfolding behind closed doors. Peace in the Middle East is never a one-speech affair, it’s an exhausting, years-long process of rebuilding trust, infrastructure, and human dignity.

Still, Trump’s presence could push for renewed global attention on a conflict the world had begun to tune out. And attention, even if messy, can be the first ingredient of accountability.

The Human Cost Behind Political Headlines

Amid all the diplomacy and declarations, ordinary people are trying to survive. Gaza’s infrastructure is devastated electricity, hospitals, and water systems barely function. Thousands have been displaced. In Israel, the fear of renewed rocket attacks still haunts border towns, and the trauma of past months lingers.

The release of captives has brought moments of bittersweet relief. Families are reuniting under camera lights, while others continue to wait for names that may never come. Each release reminds the world that these aren’t just numbers, they’re human lives caught in the machinery of geopolitics.

As one aid worker told Al Jazeera, “Everyone wants to believe in peace, but people here have seen too many ceasefires to celebrate too soon.”

Beyond Ceasefire: What Real Peace Requires

If this ceasefire is to mean more than just a pause, three things need to happen.
First, sustained humanitarian access without it, Gaza’s civilian crisis will fuel future instability.
Second, political inclusivity is a future where Palestinian governance is not defined by division or isolation.
And third, international accountability because rebuilding Gaza while ignoring the systems that caused its destruction is just painting over the cracks.

Peace cannot come from military exhaustion alone; it must come from mutual recognition of shared survival. As long as dignity is denied to one side, security will elude the other.

Too Early to Celebrate, Too Late to Ignore

The declaration that “the Gaza war is over” might sound like closure but it’s really just a new chapter. Whether it’s written in the language of diplomacy or violence depends on what happens next: will this truce evolve into reconstruction, reconciliation, and reform, or collapse into yet another cycle of blame and bloodshed?

For now, the world watches. Gaza breathes, cautiously. Israel calculates. And Trump, ever the showman, takes center stage again.

History has a way of mocking premature declarations. Whether this moment becomes the start of peace or another illusion of it only time, and action, will tell.