Distinction between ceasefire, humanitarian pauses explained, amid Israel-Hamas war

The struggle to save scores of lives in Gaza may hinge on both Hamas and Israel’s acceptance of two words: humanitarian pauses.

It’s a diplomatic proposal coming from the West, led by the United States, and falls short of demands for a ceasefire put forward by Arab nations, Russia, China and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. 

Humanitarian pauses are a much shorter window of time, usually hours or days in which there is a pause from hostilities, while a ceasefire is open-ended. Humanitarian pauses usually only allow for movement of aid, while a ceasefire can be a foundation for talks for a more lasting peace.

• Complete coverage of the Israel-Hamas war

Despite mounting pressure from the United Nations, Arab states and humanitarian organizations for a ceasefire, Israel has repeatedly rejected calls to stop its siege of Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas currently has more than 200 Israeli and foreign hostages, according to The Associated Press. Four hostages have been released so far.

On Tuesday, at a UN Security Council meeting, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen reasserted the Jewish nation’s right to retaliate after more than 1,400 Israelis were killed in a surprise attack on Oct. 7.

“It is not only Israel’s right to destroy Hamas. It’s our duty,” Cohen said, referring to the militant group that has captured more than 200 hostages, as “the new Nazis.”

DIVISION OVER PAUSES

The United States, while supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, began advocating for humanitarian pauses, but not a ceasefire.

“Palestinian civilians must be protected. That means Hamas must cease using them as human shields,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

In his speech to the UN Security Council, Blinken called for the consideration of “humanitarian pauses.”

“It means food, water, medicine and other essential humanitarian assistance must be able to flow into Gaza and to the people who need it. It means civilians must be able to get out of harm’s way,” Blinken said.

The call for humanitarian pauses is supported by Canada and a growing number of European nations such as the U.K., Spain and the Netherlands.

Turkiye’s president vented his fury at Western support for Israel on Wednesday. Recep Tayyip Erdogan says restraint is needed and has demanded a ceasefire. Erdogan has accused the West of ignoring international law in Gaza because the “blood being spilled is Muslim blood.”

Palestinians walk by buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment on al-Zahra, on the outskirts of Gaza City, Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)

Since Israel’s war on Hamas began, more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have fled their homes and nearly 600,000 people are crowded in UN shelters, according to figures from the United Nations.

The population is running out of food, water, fuel and medicine, yet only a trickle of humanitarian aid is getting through. The delivery of life-saving supplies is being impeded by bombardments and Israeli concerns that the aid will benefit militants rather than civilians.

The short pauses in hostilities could allow spurts of aid to pass through and could also be a window of time for foreign nationals to make their way to the border and cross into Egypt without fear of being killed by artillery fire.

WHAT IS CANADA’S POSITION?

Global Affairs says there are more than 450 Canadians and permanent residents currently stranded in Gaza and the West Bank.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the case for humanitarian pauses, while condemning Hamas.

“Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization. They committed unspeakable atrocities. Our priority throughout this needs to be the protection of innocent civilians and the liberation of hostages. That’s why we’re engaged closely with our allies. Get aid in and get civilians and foreign nationals out of Gaza.”

Defence Minister Bill Blair shared similar remarks on Wednesday, but did not clarify how exactly humanitarian pauses could work.

"We support that there should be a pause. How that would actually be effective is to be determined, but we believe that it's important that that aid get to the people who desperately need it," he told reporters on Parliament Hill.

Defence Minister Bill Blair speaks with reporters as he makes his way to cabinet, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 in Ottawa. Blair says Hamas is a terrorist organization that is a threat to the whole world and must be eliminated. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Meanwhile, several organizations in Canada have called for the restoration of access to the necessities of life in Gaza, and on Friday, 33 Liberal, NDP and Green MPs penned an open letter to Trudeau calling on Canada to support an immediate ceasefire.

Analysts say this diplomatic strategy could persuade Israel to let in more aid, without thwarting its ability to defend itself.

Jane Boulden, a political science professor at Queen’s University, says humanitarian pauses will be more palatable to Israel than a ceasefire.

HOW LONG DO HUMANITARIAN PAUSES LAST?

Pauses are usually small windows of time, such as 24 to 48 hours, whereas a ceasefire is open ended. Both the U.S. and Israel have said they have concerns Hamas would use the time to regroup.

“A ceasefire implies that you may not go back to fighting and that a political settlement is possible. For Israel, neither of those options are on the table at the moment,” says Boulden. “They have no intention other than pursuing Hamas and destroying them.”

University of Toronto international relations expert Jack Cunningham says the initiative led by the U.S. is likely to resort in some form of temporary humanitarian corridor. He points out that pauses can “be limited geographically, while a ceasefire could not,” allowing Israel to pursue its end goal of crushing Hamas.

“A ceasefire would also curtail a ground invasion by Israel. A pause would not,” said Cunningham.

Israel has already gathered hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles on the periphery of Gaza and drafted a record 300,000 reservists as it prepares for a ground offensive.

According to the Hamas-run Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed so far in the war, but as long as war continues, the entire population remains at risk. On the Israeli side, more than 1,400 have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas attack.

Hamas has built tunnels under hospitals, mosques and schools. The militant group controls the Palestinian enclave. To destroy the militants, Israel has unleashed a widespread campaign of aerial attacks and choked off the supply of aid to the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians inspect the rubble of destroyed buildings following Israeli airstrikes on the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. As the fifth Israel-Palestine war rages, growing more deadly and devastating, international and local monitoring groups in besieged Gaza have been unable to keep up. (AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman)

Before the war began, Palestinians in Gaza relied on 500 truckloads of food, fuel and water a day. Since Oct. 7, only a few dozen deliveries of aid have been allowed into the enclave.

Oxfam Canada’s Fatuma Shideh said the entire population of Gaza is at risk without a ceasefire.

“At this level, we’re talking about serious breaches of humanitarian law. Starvation is being used as a weapon of war,” she told CTV News.

Shideh said short breaks from fighting will not allow aid to get to everyone who needs it.

“The scale of devastation is beyond words. For humanitarian aid to reach people, we need a ceasefire. A pause is insufficient.”