For two years, Israel’s genocide in Gaza has raged without pause. Every round of mediation has failed to silence Israel’s bombs or ease the suffering of more than two million Palestinians trapped under siege.
Despite repeated talks and shifting political maps, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, has refused any final ceasefire. His government continues to push for a military victory instead of a diplomatic one.
Below is a timeline of the key ceasefire attempts and peace initiatives that have shaped Gaza’s two years of devastation.
November 2023: The First Ceasefire
Qatari and Egyptian mediation achieved the first truce between Israel and the Palestinian resistance.
The deal lasted only seven days.
It secured the release of 109 Israeli soldier prisoners in exchange for 240 Palestinian abductees.
Israel broke the truce and resumed heavy airstrikes and ground operations.
December 2023: Khan Younis Under Siege
At the start of December, Israeli forces expanded their ground invasion into Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Thousands were killed as entire neighborhoods were destroyed.
The genocide entered a new phase of destruction and displacement.
May 2024: A Three-Phase Proposal
A new plan proposed a three-stage ceasefire, each phase lasting around 40 days.
It aimed to end the genocide and allow displaced families to return home.
Netanyahu rejected it and ordered new attacks, this time on Rafah, the last refuge for Gaza’s displaced civilians.
May 31, 2024: Biden’s Roadmap
US President Joe Biden announced a roadmap based on Israel’s own three-phase plan.
Hamas accepted it in principle.
Netanyahu rejected it, claiming Israel had not yet achieved its “security goals.”
June 10, 2024: UN Resolution 2735
The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2735, supporting Biden’s plan and calling for a full ceasefire.
Israel ignored it.
The genocide continued, and the humanitarian crisis deepened.
December 2024: Trump Enters the Scene
As president-elect, Donald Trump warned of “hell in the Middle East” if Israeli soldier prisoners in Gaza were not freed before his inauguration.
His remarks reignited diplomatic efforts but failed to stop the Israeli genocide.
January 2025: Second Ceasefire Attempt
In mid-January, a new truce was announced.
It began on January 19 and lasted 42 days.
The deal included the release of 33 Israeli soldier prisoners in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian abductees.
March 2025: Israel Resumes the Genocide
In early March, Israel unilaterally resumed its offensive and imposed a total siege on Gaza.
Food, medicine, and fuel were cut off.
Destruction and famine spread across the Strip, while Israeli leaders discussed plans to expel Gazans and convert their land into investment projects.
October 2025: The Trump Plan
With the genocide entering its third year, US President Trump announced a 20-point peace plan supported by Netanyahu.
It called for:
- An immediate ceasefire and the release of all Israeli soldier prisoners within 72 hours.
- The disarmament of Hamas.
- A gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
- A transitional authority under Trump’s supervision, involving former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Hamas welcomed the proposal.
It agreed to release all Israeli soldier prisoners, alive or dead, in exchange for a total ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal.
The movement also accepted the idea of transferring Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority and entering new talks in Sharm El Sheikh to implement the plan. — QNN
