Winnipeg, February 1, 2025: “In this troubled world in these troubled times, each of us shall re-affirm our faith in peace and humanity.” Thus began our last year’s editorial, Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, security and dignity, which closed with these statements: “May peace and humanity return to the region. It is our fervent hope.”
Our fervent hope has been realized partially. Last month on the 19th, Israel and Hamas agreed to the cease-fire and hostage release deal crafted eight months earlier by then US President Biden, joined early last month by then incoming President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, and mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the USA. The 15-month Gaza war that had engulfed the region – since the Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed over a thousand people and took some 250 as hostages and the Israel’s response to rescue them and destroy Hamas that resulted in the death and displacement of thousands and thousands of Palestinian civilians – is now on pause, once more! The previous deal on November 21, 2023 collapsed after a four-day truce. There is no doubt that the joint endeavor early last month by the then outgoing Biden and incoming Trump presidential camps led to this current agreement.
“Success has many fathers,” observed the Guardian newspaper. “When the ceasefire in Gaza was finally announced…they all stood up to take credit.”
To us, it matters least who gets the political credit for this six-week truce; it matters most the present truce has happened.
Already, the world has seen a marked reduction in fighting, release of several hostages and many Palestinian prisoners, and massive flow of urgently needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. It illustrates what collaborative political partnership, not partisan brinkmanship, can achieve for a higher societal goal.
True, the first phase of this new deal does not include a definitive end to the war. And consensus may be more difficult to reach during the second stage, which will discuss the release of all the remaining hostages, the exchange of prisoners, the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, the inflow of huge humanitarian aid, and the future civil governance of Gaza. Nothing less than a massive dose of mutual trust, honesty and sincerity from all involved is required. Unfortunately, no one appears capable nor acceptable to take over civil governance. There is a leadership vacuum.
To date, the truce is going well, but tensions exist.
It remains our continuing hope that the present Gaza cease-fire would serve as the path that ends the war and the conflict and establishes peace, security and dignity in that region of the world for the sake of our common global humanity.
Editor's note: Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan, P.C., O.M., LL.D., Sc.D., M.D. M.Sc. is a retired lung specialist, professor of child health, author of articles and chapters in medical journals and textbooks, and a former health critic, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, and cabinet minister, including Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development. He graduated from the University of the Philippines, did postgraduate training and studies at the Children’s Hospitals of Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, and spent a sabbatical year as Visiting Professor at the University of Arizona Medical Center. In June 2003, he spoke on “The Global Threat of Infectious Diseases” at the G-8 Science Ministers/Advisors Carnegie Group Meeting in Berlin.
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