‘We are all waiting with bated breath’: UNL professor speaks on Israel-Hamas peace deal

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Israel and Hamas ceasefire deal broke just one day after the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel, and on the second day of the Jewish holiday Sukkot.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Professor Ari Kohen’s phone was turned off due to the holiday, but once he turned it on, he was immediately captivated by the news of the ceasefire deal.

“There’s a great sense of optimism today after two years of not feeling very optimistic at all,” he said.

During Kohen’s class at the UNL Judaic Center on Thursday, students talked about a path to a brighter future.

“Hearing from Jewish students, there’s a great sense of relief, there’s a great deal of hope,” he said. “I think for so many people, this terrible destructive situation, that this war, the hostages could be winding down.”

The class taking a focus today on the first phase of the Israel-Hamas peace deal; a class that Kohen has taught for nearly twenty years but has not taught since the Fall of 2023.

“I have to say it’s a very difficult and very challenging thing to teach,” said Kohen. “But some of my students are the best informed on this conflict, and what some possible future might look like.”

While Kohen is excited about the release of the living hostages and some relief for IDF Soldiers, the work is far from over.

“Maintaining a ceasefire beyond that immediate, very exciting first phase, is going to be challenging,” said Kohen. “The trump proposal involves rebuilding Gaza but it doesn’t involve Hamas.”

Kohen thinks there might be challenges to changing Gaza’s leadership.

“There’s a real amazing potential but it requires the people who run things to get out of there,” he said.

Kohen says, “We are all waiting with bated breath,” to see hostages turned over to the red cross, soldiers return to their families and is hopeful it could occur within days.

As of Thursday night, the Israeli government approved the peace deal in Gaza, which includes the release of all living hostages and the remains of those who have died.