ICYMI: Ceasefire opinions & analysis

From the Forward opinion team ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ‌ ­ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

It’s been 15 months of war, almost all of them marked by assurances that a ceasefire was coming soon — and yet, no ceasefire. That changed this week; just this morning, the first hostages were released from Gaza in exchange for the return of Palestinian prisoners from Israel and a partial retreat by IDF troops. Our columnists grappled with tough questions in the wake of the ceasefire’s announcement. Was this really the start of lasting peace? Who should take the credit for it: President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, Israeli citizen protesters? What comes next for the embattled Jewish state? We’re proud to present this deep survey of the post-ceasefire landscape. And if you have an idea of your own you think would be interesting to add, share it with us at editorial@forward.com. — Talya Zax, Opinion Editor After 470 days, some hostages — and many Palestinians — will finally return home. But what really matters is what happens in the future. Read more >> Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement is just the start of massive changes in the Middle East. Read more >> The sitting president put months of work into this deal, but he also let this war drag on, and on, and on. Read more >> As we celebrate this ceasefire, we must also own all the failures that preceded it. Read more >> The deal proves the US has a key role to play in Mideast peace, and Trump must keep at it. Read more >> Politically, Netanyahu could have survived a deal earlier, but he made a political calculation not to strike one. Read more >> Share this message with friends, family or colleagues This email was sent to newsletter@newslettercollector.com Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe from all emails. If you value the Forward’s journalism, support our work with a contribution. View our Privacy Policy and our Terms & Conditions Copyright (C) 2025 The Forward Association. All rights reserved. The Forward Association · 125 Maiden Lane, 8th floor · New York, NY 10038-4912 · USA