The war in Gaza has been raging since 7 October 2023. Photo: JACK GUEZ / AFP
Palestinian and Israeli communities in New Zealand are celebrating the news of a ceasefire in Gaza - but it is a very cautious optimism.
The deal, agreed on Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, is expected to halt the fighting in the devastated Palestinian territory for an initial six weeks, with people held in Gaza and Israel set to be released.
New Zealand's Justice for Palestine co-convenor Samira Zaiton said she would only begin to breathe easy when the ceasefire began on Sunday.
"It feels as though I'm holding my breath and there's a sigh of relief that's stuck in my throat that I can't quite let out until we see it play out."
Those in the region, and the diaspora, were acutely aware that ceasefire was only one step towards the liberation of Palestine, but it was still welcome, Zaiton said.
"Hopefully the blood will stop, hopefully people won't be afraid of the sky, hopefully children will hear a bird rather than a bomb."
Zaiton was not confident Israel would honour the ceasefire, while New Zealand Jewish Council president Juliet Moses was not confident Hamas would.
New Zealand's Justice for Palestine co-convenor Samira Zaiton. Photo: Supplied
The unknown created unease, Moses said.
"My personal view, or feeling I guess, is relief combined with anxiety and trepidation about what is to come.
"There is so much still that is still unknown and ... it's very fragile in any case, there are lots of things that could go wrong."
At the forefront of her community's mind now were the Israeli hostages Hamas would soon release, she said.
"We don't know how many of them are alive, and of those who are alive, we don't know what condition they're in, so that is very much our main focus at this stage."
New Zealand Jewish Council president Juliet Moses. Photo: Supplied
While the number of hostages to be released was agreed, it would be more complex to determine which of them would be, Waikato University law professor Al Gillespie said.
"They will work out the priority hostages which they will try to keep the longest, and those that are more publicly acceptable to be released earlier ... like women and children.
"But even things like human bodies have a value, and so these too will have bartering purposes."
The negotiation would have to be managed very carefully, he said.
"You need good faith, you need intermediaries like the Red Cross that can get between the two opposing factions and put some integrity into the process."
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says there is a "glimmer of hope" for a two-state solution for the region. Photo: Samuel Rillstone
While the Israel-Palestine conflict dated back to the 1940s, Sunday's ceasefire could be the beginning of a move towards a peace treaty and the creation of a Palestinian state, Gillespie said.
But that was the "most optimistic possible view".
Meanwhile, Gillespie hoped there would still be investigations into potential war crimes carried out over the last 15 months, and that those responsible were held accountable.
"But it's a difficult situation because often people sometimes are so tired of conflict that they will push questions of accountability to one side just to stop the killing."
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said there was a "glimmer of hope" the region may reach the two-state solution for which New Zealand had long called.
But for now, he wanted to see desperately needed humanitarian aid flow into Gaza - to which Aotearoa may contribute.
"A serious analysis is required before we can do all that much ourselves, and other agencies better placed and nearer the situation will be of help, so these are things we've got to work on in the next few days."
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