Israel-Hamas ceasefire: Here’s what USF students, professor think

International relations professor Thomas Smith said although the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brings hope for a “better way forward,” whether it can turn into long-term peace remains “to be seen.”
“Given how volatile things are, it’s hard to say definitively that this is the peace that’s going to end all wars,” he said. “I’m skeptical of that at this point.”
The ceasefire was announced earlier this month and involves the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
Despite a previous attempt at a ceasefire lasting one week in 2023, this one is enduring so far. The first phase of the ceasefire will last five more weeks.
Reactions to the conflict at USF included a rally in support of Palestine in October 2023, a hunger strike that demanded USF divest from certain companies and call for a ceasefire in March 2024 and two encampments, which resulted in 13 arrests in April 2024.
Related: USF students to go on hunger strike for Palestine: ‘Putting our lives on the line’
In the first week of the ceasefire, Israel released almost 300 Palestinian prisoners and Hamas released seven Israeli hostages.
Smith, who is also the vice provost for academic affairs, wrote about previous conflicts in Gaza in his book “Human Rights and War through Civilian Eyes.”
He said the initial release of hostages is “just the start.” He said both sides need to build some trust for the ceasefire to hold.
“If not trust, at least people on both sides show some good faith, and then you can build on that,” he said. “So that’s the hope, that even though it’s a first step, it will lead to some bigger steps.”
Morgan Pogoda, a Jewish student at USF, said she was relieved by news of a ceasefire.
“I think that a misconception within the Jewish community is that we want war,” Pogoda said. “We just want peace. We want life, we want coexistence.”
Related: ‘We are scared’: Jewish students feel unsafe amid Israel-Palestine conflict
Although the release of the Israeli hostages made her happy, she said the “flip side” is that Palestinian prisoners convicted for crimes against Israelis have been released in “much larger numbers.”
“In a way, it is movement and it is progress, and we are happy to see that,” said Pogoda, a integrated public relations and advertising junior. “But it’s just scary, because who knows what will happen once all the prisoners get released?”
On Jan. 25, 200 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel, including 121 who were serving life sentences for deadly attacks committed against Israelis, according to the Associated Press. The others were “held without charge.”
In exchange for the release of the prisoners, Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers, according to AP.
Allison Enriquez said she participated in most protests that called for the university to disclose its investments, divest from companies that support Israel and show solidarity with Palestinians, including April’s encampment.
Although Enriquez was relieved when she heard about the ceasefire, she was still skeptical about it being a step toward peace.
“I still had the thought in the back of my mind that there were probably strings attached to it still, and that the violence isn’t necessarily going to be over because of this ceasefire,” said Enriquez, a senior psychology major.
Related: Pro-Palestine encampment protest at USF broken up by tear gas
Smith, the international relations professor, said there needs to be concrete solutions for the ceasefire to have a real impact.
“If there’s no place for people to go, if there’s no real plan to kind of pull this together, then people will say, ‘What was the purpose of the ceasefire if it doesn’t lead to a bigger plan to overcome this devastation?’” he said.
Over 375,000 Palestinians walked back to northern Gaza Monday after Israel enabled their return.
AP reported their homes are “likely damaged or destroyed,” as the Gaza Strip is filled with rubble from collapsed houses and buildings that might take decades to be rebuilt.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday that other countries should take Palestinian refugees from Gaza to “clean out” the area while it’s rebuilt.
Smith said any solution that involves moving people out of Gaza is likely “not going anywhere.” Both Egypt’s foreign ministry and Jordan’s foreign minister rejected the idea.
A real solution, Smith said, would be for other Arab countries, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to financially support reconstruction and strike peace deals with Israel.
“Gazans are rooted in Gaza, and to try to move them against their will… I don’t think it’s practical to even approach that,” he said. “You have a right not to be moved from the place where you live.”
Related: USF student protesters suspended and expelled after April demonstrations
Pogoda said she hopes the ceasefire will open doors for “civil conversation” between the “two sides” at USF.
“The limitation in the relationship between the two sides on campus specifically is we don’t get to sit down, have coffee and talk about it,” she said. “It’s usually not a civil conversation if it’s being done.”
Enriquez said the conversation about “justice and liberation” in Palestine comes down to unity between “oppressed groups.”
Smith said trying to understand the way Israelis see Hamas’ attacks, as well as what Palestinians have endured during the conflict, is essential in light of the ceasefire.
There is a need to remember that the events from the past 15 months are not abstract, he said.
“Just to appreciate the lived experiences on both sides of this conflict, because it can’t have been easy,” Smith said.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article used an incorrect term to describe Palestinian prisoners released in late January. In the second exchange on Jan. 25, 200 Palestinian prisoners were released, including 121 who were “serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis, while others were held without charge,” according to the Associated Press.