The three agreements that the Trump administration negotiated were intended to end the war. But while major fighting has subsided, weapons are still falling and people are still dying.
Residents of Gaza, southern Lebanon, northern Israel and Kuwait were all in turmoil this week despite a US-brokered ceasefire that was supposed to be in effect in their territories.
Israeli airstrikes have hit Gaza and Lebanon, with Israeli troops still deployed in both areas. Hezbollah rockets hit northern Israel, and Iranian strikes targeted Kuwait’s international airport.
The continued violence prompted US President Donald Trump to comment on Wednesday, June 3, that the ceasefire in the Middle East involved “moderate firing” rather than a complete cessation of hostilities.
The three treaties that his administration negotiated were intended to end the war. But while major fighting has subsided, weapons are still falling and people are still dying.
Here’s how ceasefires – and ongoing hostilities – are implemented:
What happens to the cease-fire in Gaza?
The United States arranged a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas on October 10, 2025, to end the great war.
The ceasefire agreement included a cessation of hostilities, Hamas releasing all its remaining hostages in Gaza, Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners, a phased Israeli withdrawal, accelerated aid and the opening of a crossing to Egypt.
Trump’s plan to build a cease-fire was intended to include an agreement to disarm Hamas, a new government in Gaza without the group’s involvement, the reconstruction of Gaza and the complete withdrawal of Israel.
However, when all the hostages are released, the two sides dispute how much aid Israel has allowed in. Hamas has not agreed to disarm them. No major construction has begun, and Israel says it wants to expand the territory it controls in Gaza.
Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have continued and killed more than 900 Palestinians since the end of the deal, including nine on Thursday. Sporadic attacks by Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
Why is there still war in Lebanon?
After fighting in 2024, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah was only partially enforced, with both sides accusing the other of violations.
Open warfare resumed in March after the war against Iran broke out, with Hezbollah opening fire on Israel and Israeli forces seizing much of southern Lebanon and attacking other areas with airstrikes.
Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon on April 16 after rare communications between Israeli and Lebanese government representatives. Fierce fighting continued in the south, but Israel largely withdrew from Beirut.
Since April 16, Israeli attacks have killed hundreds of people, bringing the death toll to more than 3,500 since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities, whose data do not distinguish between civilians and fighters. Israel says 26 of its soldiers and four civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks since March.
Iran wants a ceasefire in Lebanon to be part of any deal to end its war with the US and Israel and reopen Strait of Hormuz.
On Wednesday, Trump announced that Lebanon and Israel have agreed to implement a new ceasefire that depends on Hezbollah leaving the southern areas. The group has rejected the plan and fighting has continued.
Will the US and Iran strengthen their ceasefire?
The The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, seeking to destroy its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Both countries said they hoped that the ruling theocratic system would be overthrown.
That followed last year’s 12-day war in which Israel, later joined by the United States, attacked many of Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leaders.
Despite many of Iran’s senior leaders being killed, it has been able to close the Strait of Hormuz, suppressing Gulf energy exports and affecting the global economy.
The United States announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, with talks following a permanent end to hostilities, the reopening of Hormuz, an end to US sanctions on Iranian ports and a path to talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
However, despite repeated rounds of indirect talks brokered by Pakistan and Qatar, there is still no full agreement. The agreement could postpone talks on the nuclear issue at a later stage.
At the same time, the sides have repeatedly shot at each other, with Iran also targeting the Gulf states, including Kuwait this week.
Why has the ceasefire failed?
All three agreements have stalled in their first phase, with interim plans failing to move towards a more permanent ceasefire.
In each case, the fighters have been unwilling to accept the painful concessions needed to get past the first phase of a transitional ceasefire. At times, they have resorted to military action to try to advance goals that they had to set aside when the accords were agreed upon or to test the limits of those agreements.
“When there’s no movement and there’s no political horizon, it’s very difficult for a ceasefire to hold, because there’s no real incentive for the parties to that ceasefire to keep obeying if it doesn’t really bring about any change,” said Urban Coningham, research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.
The declining influence of international organizations such as the United Nations and the increasing assertiveness of regional authorities have also made it difficult for long-term agreements to stick, he said. – Rappler.com
