Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Truce under fire: On the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Truce under fire: On the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire

All sides must ensure that the war in Gaza ends permanently

As the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire (संघर्षविराम, युद्धविराम समझौता) comes to an end on Saturday (March 1, 2025), there are growing (बढ़ती हुई) signs that the already fragile (नाज़ुक, अस्थिर) truce is under enormous strain (दबाव, तनाव). When the deal was reached in mid-January, the understanding was that it would be implemented in three phases. In the first, Israel was required to reposition some of its troops (सैनिक), letting displaced (विस्थापित) Palestinians move from the south to the north, and release more than a thousand security prisoners (सुरक्षा बंदी) in return for (के बदले में, के प्रत्युत्तर में) some 32 hostages (बंधक). In the second phase, both sides are required to bring the war to an end, while the third phase is about the reconstruction of Gaza. In the first 42 days, both sides stuck to their commitments (प्रतिबद्धता, दायित्व) despite challenges — Hamas released 38 hostages and Israel freed hundreds of prisoners. Talks (वार्ता, बातचीत) for the second phase were to begin days earlier — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a delegation (प्रतिनिधिमंडल) to Cairo only on Thursday (February 27, 2025). And, according to the deal, Israel was to complete the withdrawal (वापसी) of its troops from the Philadelphi corridor (गलियारा), the 14-kilometre stretch along southern Gaza’s border with Egypt, by Saturday. But on Thursday, an Israeli soldier ruled out an Israeli pull back (retreat, pullout, withdrawal, disengagement, departure (of military troops from an area of conflict)) from the corridor, casting doubts on the future of the ceasefire.

When Israel launched the war on Gaza, following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 cross-border (सीमा पार, सीमांत) attack in which 1,200 people were killed, Mr. Netanyahu’s declared objectives (target, intention, purpose, goal/aim) were the dismantling (topple, demolish, destroy, knock down) of Hamas and the release of the hostages. But after 15 months of war, in which nearly 48,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,00,000 wounded, Israel achieved neither of the goals, which eventually (ultimately, finally, at last, in the end) forced Mr. Netanyahu to strike a deal (to come to an agreeement, to make an agreement, to reach an agreement) with Hamas to get the hostages out. For a permanent end of the war, Israel has to leave Gaza. If Mr. Netanyahu withdraws his troops, Hamas will remain in power in the enclave (area, region (enclosed within)), an outcome (conclusion, development, result, aftermath, consequence, implication) that could lead to (cause, result in, bring on, bring about, produce, give rise to) the collapse of his right-religious (Jewish right; religiously motivated right-wing; relating to the Christian political factions characterized by their strong support of socially conservative and traditionalist policies) government. The proposal by United States President Donald Trump to “own Gaza” and ethnically (culturally, racially) cleanse the strip’s 2.3 million Palestinians seems to have hardened (stiffen, solidify, strengthen, reinforce; toughen) Israel’s position (opinion, thinking, feeling, thought, approach, belief, perspective, point of view, stance, outlook, viewpoint) further. But by keeping its troops in Gaza, Israel is not only violating (break, breach, fail to comply with) the terms (conditions) of the ceasefire but is also stepping into the abyss (a catastrophic/disastrous/awful situation). Despite its superior forces and unmatchable fire power (the military capability), Israel has failed to destroy Hamas, which, in the words of Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari, is “rooted in the hearts” of Palestinians. After the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas will still have over 60 hostages. So, if Israel refuses to exit Gaza and extend the ceasefire, what is awaiting (wait for) the enclave is a war of attrition (a military strategy consisting of aggressive attempts to win a war by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel). Instead, the Jewish state (Israel country) should honour its commitments under the agreement. The U.S., rather than (instead of) make outlandish (strange, peculiar, odd, weird, unusual, bizarre) statements such as ethnically cleansing Palestinians, should use its leverage (power, authority, sway, clout, influence, weight, position, muscle) over Israel and its Arab neighbours (a country/state that is next to another country; (bordering) country) to implement the ceasefire and draw up (formulate, plan, prepare, devise, create, work out) a plan for post-war (happening after a war) Gaza, that includes its governance (government, regime, administration) and reconstruction.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.cross border (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सीमा पार, सीमांत
English Meaning - across a border between two states/countries.

2.ceasefire (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्षविराम, युद्धविराम समझौता
English Meaning - a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary stoppage of war, truce, armistice.

3.growing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बढ़ती हुई
English Meaning - increasing.

4.fragile (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - नाज़ुक, अस्थिर
English Meaning - vulnerable, risky, unreliable, insecure.

5.strain (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दबाव, तनाव
English Meaning - pressure, stress, demand/burden.

6.troops (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सैनिक
English Meaning - armed forces, forces, soldiers.

7.displaced (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विस्थापित
English Meaning - relating to an act of forcing someone to leave his/her home, usually due to war, persecution, or natural disaster.

8.security prisoner (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सुरक्षा बंदी
English Meaning - security prisoner is defined as “A prisoner who was convicted and sentenced for committing a crime, or who is imprisoned on suspicion of committing a crime, which due to its nature or circumstances was defined as a security offense or whose motive was nationalistic.

9.in return for (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के बदले में, के प्रत्युत्तर में
English Meaning - in exchange for, in consideration of, in response to.

10.hostage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बंधक
English Meaning - a person captured or held as security for the fulfilment of certain conditions/terms.

11.commitment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबद्धता, दायित्व
English Meaning - dedication, adherence, obligation, responsibility, onus, liability, accountability.

12.talks (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वार्ता, बातचीत
English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, negotiation, parley.

13.delegation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिनिधिमंडल
English Meaning - delegates, (diplomatic) mission, representatives, deputation, envoys, emissaries, group.

14.withdrawal (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वापसी
English Meaning - retreat, pullout, pullback, disengagement, departure (of military troops from an area of conflict).

15.corridor (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गलियारा
English Meaning - a strip/swathe of land linking two areas (particularly by a road).

16.under fire (noun)

English Meaning - being attacked; being severely criticized.

17.cessation of hostilities (phrase)

English Meaning - it means that the combatants are willing to stop fighting and to restrain their forces.

18.Gaza (noun)

English Meaning - a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt.

19.come to an end (phrase)

English Meaning - to finish; to reach an end; to become completed.

20.bring to an end (phrase)

English Meaning - to stop, finish, or complete something.

21.stuck to past tense of stick to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - comply with, abide by, hold to, adhere to, act in accordance with, conform to.

22.rule out (verb)

English Meaning - reject, discard, dismiss, exclude, cancel, eliminate.

23.pull back (noun)

English Meaning - retreat, pullout, withdrawal, disengagement, departure (of military troops from an area of conflict).

24.cast doubt on (phrase)

English Meaning - call into question, have doubts about, feel apprehensive about, make something seem less certain; distrust, mistrust, suspect.

25.truce (noun)

English Meaning - an ad-hoc (temporary/makeshift) arrangement, arrived at by the combatants (fighters), to pause the fighting. Temporary cessation/suspension (of hostilities); A deal to stop fighting for a certain time.

26.objective (noun)

English Meaning - target, intention, purpose, goal/aim.

27.dismantle (verb)

English Meaning - topple, demolish, destroy, knock down.

28.eventually (adverb)

English Meaning - ultimately, finally, at last, in the end.

29.strike a deal (phrase)

English Meaning - to come to an agreeement, to make an agreement, to reach an agreement.

30.strike (verb)

English Meaning - reach, achieve, or agree to.

31.withdraw (noun)

English Meaning - retreat, pull out, pull back, disengage, depart (military troops from an area of conflict).

32.enclave (noun)

English Meaning - area, region (enclosed within).

33.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - conclusion, development, result, aftermath, consequence, implication.

34.lead to (verb)

English Meaning - cause, result in, bring on, bring about, produce, give rise to.

35.right-religious (adjective)

English Meaning - Jewish right; religiously motivated right-wing; relating to the Christian political factions characterized by their strong support of socially conservative and traditionalist policies;

36.ethnically (adverb)

English Meaning - culturally, racially.

37.ethnic cleansing (noun)

English Meaning - mass murder, massacre, genocide, mass slaughter.

38.harden (verb)

English Meaning - stiffen, solidify, strengthen, reinforce; toughen.

39.position (noun)

English Meaning - opinion, thinking, feeling, thought, approach, belief, perspective, point of view, stance, outlook, viewpoint.

40.violate (verb)

English Meaning - break, breach, fail to comply with.

41.terms (noun)

English Meaning - conditions.

42.step into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to become involved in; to enter into.

43.abyss (noun)

English Meaning - a catastrophic/disastrous/awful situation.

44.fire power (noun)

English Meaning - the military capability.

45.Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) (noun)

English Meaning - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are the armed forces of Israel, comprising the Israeli army, navy, and air force. it is was established in 1948 and commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Tzahal.

46.root in (verb)

English Meaning - firmly establish, entrench, ingrain; have as an origin/cause.

47.await (verb)

English Meaning - wait for.

48.war of attrition (noun)

English Meaning - a military strategy consisting of aggressive attempts to win a war by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel.

49.Jewish state (noun)

English Meaning - Israel country.

50.rather than (phrase)

English Meaning - instead of.

51.outlandish (adjective)

English Meaning - strange, peculiar, odd, weird, unusual, bizarre.

52.leverage (noun)

English Meaning - power, authority, sway, clout, influence, weight, position, muscle.

53.neighbour (noun)

English Meaning - a country/state that is next to another country; (bordering) country.

54.draw up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - formulate, plan, prepare, devise, create, work out.