Today I write to you with the utmost gratitude for your dedication to the people of Palestine. I’m sure you’ve heard the news: a ceasefire agreement has finally been reached in Gaza after 15 months of genocide. This is the day I've been waiting for, and it's finally here. Celebrations immediately erupted in Gaza when the news broke. Even though the future is a little uncertain, I’m celebrating alongside Gazans who are rejoicing in the street. Above all, I’m urging everyone to use this moment to re-dedicate yourself to the cause of peace. Solidarity wins struggles, and the struggle continues. 

People’s continuous action on Gaza brought us this ceasefire, so we need to keep that momentum up for all our demands around Palestine, including the freedom of Palestinian political prisoners such as Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya and other medical staff. The spotlight and intense attention the world is paying to Dr. Abu Safiya is critical, and we can’t let up as long as he’s still in Israeli detention. 

👉 Add your name to the petition to demand the World Medical Association (WMA) break their silence and call for the release of medics in Israeli detention!

We owe our respect to the people of Gaza and their determination to survive this genocide against all odds. I especially want to celebrate the journalists of Gaza, who put their lives on the line to report the truth of this genocide despite being abandoned by all Western media outlets. Their courage is humbling, and we should honor their legacy by continuing to challenge the propaganda that facilitated this genocide in the first place. 

This ceasefire agreement is almost identical to what Israel has rejected for months, making it painfully clear that this could have been achieved long ago — saving thousands of Palestinian lives that have been taken in the meantime. Reports indicate that Israel was pressured into accepting these terms during a meeting with the incoming Trump administration’s Middle East envoy. This means President Biden’s legacy as Genocider-in-chief is undeniable. He was not “working tirelessly” for a ceasefire as he claimed, nor did he use the immense leverage at his disposal to end Israel’s violence. Instead, he allowed the genocide to continue unchecked because he had no interest or care in stopping it — but this is no surprise to us.

As of now, only the first stage of the agreement has been accepted by both Israel and Hamas, and if you’re like me you are cautiously holding your breath as more news emerges. Here is what we know about the stages of the ceasefire so far: 

Stage 1: 

• Temporary 42-day ceasefire in which Hamas releases 33 Israeli captives and Israel releases Palestinian political prisoners — 1,000 of which were taken after October 7.  
• Withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza’s population centers to areas 700 meters or less inside Gaza’s border except the Netzarim Corridor which allows Israel to control the movement along the Gaza Strip. 
• Gazans can return to their homes in the north of Gaza.
• Up to 600 aid trucks allowed entry into Gaza daily.  
• Continued discussion of the second and third phases. 

Stage 2 (tentative): 

• Release of remaining captives. 
• Permanent ceasefire. 
• Complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers. 

Stage 3 (tentative): 

• Return of remains of Israeli captives and Palestinian fighters.

We all hope this ceasefire holds — that Israel does not violate it — and progresses to include the critical final stages, including the release of political prisoners. We will continue to demand full liberation for all Palestinians and we are at the service of the people of Gaza who will now have to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Take action to pressure the release of all medics in Israeli detention by signing the petition to the WMA!

Free Palestine from the river to the sea!

👉 Don't miss out:

• Tell Unilever to stop silencing Ben & Jerry's!
• New toolkit to demand Dr. Abu Safiya's release!
• Jam Maersk’s phone lines with your demands!
• Unmask politicians bought by Zionism!
• Sign up to organize and engage locally!
• Order pink keffiyehs from the West Bank!

Until Liberation,

Nour and the entire CODEPINK team