Charlotte Shields-Rossi | a&e editor

Shira Bauman, vice president of Duquesne’s Hillel Jewish Student Organization, had a cousin who had to hide because of the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. So news of the hostages being released and a ceasefire in Gaza was personal to her.

She had family members in Israel send her photos of the celebration that ensued after news spread of the return of the hostages.

Despite the recent peace deal, Bauman does not know what the future holds for the region.

“Right now I’m just focusing on the relief of getting the hostages home and reuniting families and really trying to rebuild people up,” Bauman said.

Last month, President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point Gaza peace plan, in an effort to end two years of conflict in the region. Last week, Israel and Hamas both signed off on the first phase of the peace plan and began implementing the stipulations.

Hamas released all living hostages located in Gaza, but have yet to release all the bodies of the deceased Israeli hostages. In exchange, Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

On Monday, Egypt hosted an international peace summit with 27 other countries to discuss the plan. The summit aimed to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance peace and stability in the Middle East and create a new phase of regional security.

Some of those who have been following the conflict for the past two years sighed a breath of relief, while others were not so optimistic.

Riley Hunter, president of Duquesne Democrats, was cautiously optimistic.

“I’m happy to hear about it, and I’m hopeful that the ceasefire deal sticks and that both sides abide by it,” Hunter said. “I think peace in the region is the best outcome — the outcome that we’ve all been hoping for for the past two or so years.”

An aid delivery increase was a part of the 20-point proposal, meaning humanitarian aid for rehabilitation of infrastructure, hospitals and bakeries as well as the necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads would be permitted into Gaza.

Hunter hopes to see some aid let into Gaza and for the Israeli hostages to begin rebuilding their lives. Although she admits that the peace plan is a start, it is not an overnight fix, and there is more that needs to be done for lasting peace in the region.

Emily De Ferrari, a member of the Pittsburgh Palestine Coalition, is not as optimistic about the plan.

De Ferrari was relieved to hear that Israeli troops would pull out from Gaza and aid would be let in, but at the same time she believed the plan was flawed.

“There’s not much in that proposal that’s clear, that addresses any of the issues of Palestinian liberation,” De Ferrari said.

She believes the only route to lasting peace in the region is by putting pressure on Israel to end occupation.

“What we’re really asking the Palestinians to do is to negotiate with the people who have committed genocide against them, and the Palestinian people should not have to negotiate with the people who have been attempting to eliminate them,” De Ferrari said. “It’s not a peace plan at all. It’s just a way to continue to control Gaza.”

Dina Huehn, assistant professor of international relations at Duquesne, has been following the conflict closely and is pessimistic that the plan will work.

One outcome of the plan is that Hamas will dismantle as a militant organization, something she expects Hamas will be unwilling to do. Huehn said the ceasefire is fragile, and she believes that it could likely be broken.

“I think that’s going to be the major challenge over the next few days and weeks, is just to figure out what Hamas is essentially going to do,” Huehn said. “I think if Hamas doesn’t meet their end of the deal, or if they don’t step up, then we’re going to potentially see a return to military actions.”

Charlotte Shields-Rossi can be reached at shieldsrossic@duq.edu