Ceasefire

Ceasefire, or cease-fire, is a negotiated halt to fighting between conflicting parties. It entails a suspension or reduction of hostilities for a defined period or indefinitely, but it does not necessarily resolve the political causes of the conflict. Ceasefires can be unconditional or conditioned on compliance with terms such as withdrawal of forces, disengagement of combatants, or access for humanitarian aid. They may be limited to a particular front or to the entire combat area. A ceasefire is distinct from a peace treaty, which officially ends a war; a ceasefire can precede or fail to lead to a lasting peace.

Ceasefires can be bilateral or unilateral; they often require monitoring and verification by third parties, such as the United Nations, a regional organization, or a third-state guarantor. They may include buffer zones, demobilization, demining, prisoner exchanges, or safe corridors for aid. Compliance is enforced through political pressure, sanctions, or international intervention; violations commonly trigger resumption of hostilities. The durability of a ceasefire depends on trust, the security environment, and the prospects for a political settlement.

Ceasefires have played a central role in many conflicts, sometimes as precursors to comprehensive peace agreements and sometimes as interim arrangements to protect civilians or enable humanitarian relief. Armistices in major wars are a form of ceasefire; in civil wars, ceasefires are often fragile and subject to renegotiation. The term remains widely used in diplomacy to describe any negotiated halt to fighting, from short truces to long-standing accords.