Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal: West Australian Jewish and Palestinian communities react to agreement

Perth’s Jewish and Palestinian communities have expressed hope, as well as fear for the future, after news of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The deal between Israel and Hamas, announced Wednesday, will start on Sunday — the day before Joe Biden’s presidency ends and president-elect Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office.

The first phase of the agreement, following 15 months of war, will see some hostages taken by Hamas on the October 7 attacks returned in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Israel will allow more aid to flow into the devastated enclave and withdraw from densely populated areas.

A second phase includes the release of the remaining hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

About 2000 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, as the Palestinian death-toll now stands north of 50,000.

Jewish Community Council of WA president Geoff Midalia said news of the ceasefire was “wonderful” as long as the peace held.

“Everybody will rejoice, of course,” he said.

But Mr Midalia said the community remained concerned about war with Hezbollah in Lebanon and conflict with the Houthis in Yemen.

“We will wait and see (if those conflicts end), but of of equal importance to me is the second war that’s being fought around the world, and that is against anti-Semitism,” he said.

“The rise in anti-Semitism has touched all of the diaspora community in every city in the world since October 7.”

Mr Midalia said a gradual rise in anti-Semitism would be a “vast improvement” compared to the 460 per cent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in WA since the war began.

This included nazi salutes, hate speech and graffiti, he said.

“Our history shows that every time a conflict arises with Israel, the anti-Semitism towards the diaspora spikes, but the fact is that we have not seen a spike like this current one,” Mr Midalia said.

A Palestinian Community of Western Australia spokesman said the community was “happy” a deal had been reached, but was fearful that Israel would escalate strikes in the lead up to the ceasefire taking effect.

“That means a reduced loss of life,” he said of the deal.

“However, Palestinians are still in the situation that they were in before these recent escalations, in the sense that they are still stateless.

“This does not solve the root of the issue.”

The spokesman said almost all of WA’s Palestinian community of about 2000 to 5000 people had lost a direct or distant relative in the conflict.

“It’s been going to one family’s wake to another, one funeral to another, going to console one family to another,” he said.

“We’re seeing nine-year-old girls from Gaza (now living in Perth) just start shaking uncontrollably, and then having to explain to Palestinian kids that were born here, who are asking ‘why’.

“The mood has just been unimaginable in that there’s just been so much death and mourning.”

The deal was secured after both Mr Biden and Mr Trump’s teams put aside political difference and pressured Israel and Hamas to accept a deal.

Premier Roger Cook said he would leave it to “policy analysts” to determine who deserved credit, but welcomed the deal.

“I think, just like any citizen in the globe today is, I’m just so pleased that the six-week ceasefire is now coming into force, and we hope that that’s the start of sustained peace in the Middle East,” Mr Cook said.

“We know that these conflicts around the world impact upon our communities as well.

“And I’m sure everyone will breathe a little bit of a sigh of relief today.”