That's what it's about

• With the first phase of the peace agreement, hope for peace is emerging in the Middle East.
• RSI journalist Emiliano Bos was one of the first journalists in two years to speak to the population in the Gaza Strip.
• However, there is still a long way to go before lasting peace returns to the Gaza Strip.

For two years, the Gaza Strip has been under effective Israeli siege and is largely cut off from the outside world. The Israeli army denied journalists access to the area for a long time. RSI journalist Emiliano Bos was one of the first to get a firsthand look at the situation in early October 2025, when the first phase of the Trump peace deal came into effect. He reports relief and growing hope on both sides.

Thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv on Monday to celebrate the release of the 20 surviving hostages from the Gaza Strip: The Israelis, who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, are visibly scarred by more than 600 days of hostage-taking, but were able to embrace their loved ones again for the first time on October 13.

Madness and pain finally come to an end

It was a very emotional moment – the madness and pain that the hostages and their families have had to endure for over two years has finally come to an end, says Emiliano Bos in an interview with 20 Minuten. The journalist from the Italian-language SRG subsidiary RSI was at Hostage Square on Monday, where thousands of Israelis were celebrating the hostages' release. One man told me that he could finally breathe again. Sharing this moment with the Israeli people was very emotional, reports the Italian-born journalist.

Bos also points out, however, that the hostage release is only one side of the coin—the picture isn't yet complete: On Friday, the RSI correspondent was able to speak directly with Palestinians for the first time since the Israeli siege began over two years ago. For this purpose, the journalist accompanied the controversial aid organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The RSI article can be found here.

Bos: Extent of destruction not yet clear

As he reports, the destruction in the Gaza Strip is difficult to put into words. The only major building still standing in Rafah is a parking garage."I can't even imagine what it looks like in the north," he says. When journalists are allowed to move freely in the Gaza Strip again, we will discover things we can't even imagine yet, Bos fears. What we have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg.

Due to Israel's refusal to allow aid shipments from international organizations like the UN into the area, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has drastically worsened in recent months. As a result of the Israeli bombing, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and forced to seek refuge in refugee camps, some of which are massively overcrowded.

In light of the ceasefire, many Palestinians expressed at least cautious hope in their discussions with Bos that the agreement will truly bring peace. However, since the effects of the agreement are only slowly and gradually becoming visible in the Gaza Strip itself, the optimism of many residents remains limited. Most of the Gaza residents I spoke with long, above all, for freedom and a normal life.

Who will fill the resulting power vacuum?

When and whether this will be possible depends on the implementation of the other measures agreed upon in the agreement. Armed gangs, some of which are supported by Israel, are already fighting among themselves and with Hamas for control of certain areas. Who will actually take control will only become clear once Israeli troops withdraw – the difficult part begins now, according to Emiliano Bos.

According to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the most important thing now is whether US President Trump continues to push forward with the implementation of the agreement. Without him, the second phase will not work, he told RSI. Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, also does not expect a quick end to the conflict: The roots of the problem still exist. It will be a long and difficult road ahead, he told the RSI journalist.