The expectations from Hamas in maintaining a cease-fire can be divided into three distinct and escalating levels of commitment: immediate cessation of hostilities, fulfillment of hostage obligations, and a long-term commitment to demilitarization and non-military governance.

1. Immediate Cease-fire and Hostage Release (Phase One Commitments)

The most immediate and critical expectations from Hamas, which form the basis of a temporary or initial-phase cease-fire agreement, are the cessation of all military actions and the release of hostages.

Halting Rocket Attacks and Military Action

The core expectation is a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities. This means halting all rocket attacks targeting Israel and ceasing all other offensive military actions, including:

• Stopping all attacks by its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and associated militant groups in Gaza.

• Suspending all infiltrations or armed activities across the border.

• Completely ceasing the use of its tunnel network for offensive purposes.

This commitment is a fundamental requirement for any cease-fire to take effect and hold.

Releasing Hostages

The release of all remaining Israeli and other foreign hostages held in Gaza is a central and non-negotiable demand from Israel and the international community. This is typically implemented in phases as part of a negotiated exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli prisons.

• Unconditional Release: The expectation is the eventual safe, dignified, and unconditional release of all hostages, both living and the remains of those deceased.

• Negotiated Exchange: In practice, Hamas has linked the release of hostages to the release of a greater number of Palestinian prisoners and a guaranteed end to the war. The initial phases of cease-fire agreements are almost always structured around these reciprocal releases.

2. Long-Term Demilitarization and Governance (Phases Two and Beyond)

For a cease-fire to become permanent and sustainable, the expectations on Hamas escalate dramatically, moving from temporary military restraint to fundamental, long-term shifts in its nature and role in Gaza. These commitments are often the most contentious and difficult to secure.

Demilitarization and Disarmament

The international community and Israel insist on the eventual complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip to ensure it no longer poses a security threat. This is where Hamas's position often conflicts most sharply with international demands, as the group views its military wing as a core component of its identity and a tool of "resistance."

• Dismantling Military Infrastructure: The demand includes the destruction of all offensive military infrastructure, including the vast tunnel networks, weapons production facilities, and command-and-control centers.

• Disarmament of Fighters: The most challenging expectation is the disarmament of all Hamas fighters. While Hamas has at times signaled a willingness to give up its offensive weaponry, it has resisted giving up all its arms, often stating that it will not disarm until a unified Palestinian state is established. Full disarmament is non-negotiable for Israel.

Committing to Non-Military Governance in Gaza

For reconstruction aid to flow and for a political pathway to be established, Hamas is expected to completely relinquish its governing authority over Gaza and commit to a future of non-military governance.

• Relinquishing Political Control: Hamas is expected to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a civilian, technocratic Palestinian body that is independent and not affiliated with any militant groups.

• Exclusion from Future Governance: A core international demand is that Hamas cannot have any direct or indirect role in Gaza's future governance or security structure. This is seen as essential for ensuring that aid is distributed impartially and that reconstruction is not compromised by military or political agendas.

• Accepting a Transitional Authority: The envisioned long-term plan involves the establishment of a transitional administration, likely supervised by an international body and supported by Arab states, that would manage day-to-day services, law and order, and reconstruction. Hamas must accept and facilitate this political transition.

3. Broader Compliance and Political Outlook

Beyond the military and governance issues, the international community, particularly mediators, places expectations on Hamas regarding its internal behavior and its vision for the future.

• Abiding by Cease-fire Terms: Hamas is expected to exert its influence to ensure all militant groups in Gaza comply with the cease-fire terms, preventing unauthorized rocket fire or other violations that could derail the agreement.

• Accepting Exiled Leadership: Depending on the long-term plan, there may be an expectation that Hamas’s top leadership, particularly those based abroad, would have to leave the region or accept some form of political exile to reduce the group's influence on the ground.

• Shifting Political Vision: The ultimate, albeit less explicitly negotiated, expectation is that Hamas would eventually shift its political platform to accept peaceful coexistence and endorse the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. While Hamas has sometimes adopted a more pragmatic language in revised manifestos—accepting a state based on 1967 borders as a provisional step—its founding principles remain centered on rejecting Israel's existence, a position that must change for a durable peace.

In essence, a temporary cease-fire requires Hamas to stop fighting and release hostages, while a permanent one demands a transformation from a military-governing entity into a political actor willing to disarm and surrender administrative control for the sake of a durable solution.

By Jo Ikeji-Uju

https://ubuntusafa.com

https://ubuntusafa.com/Ikeji