A ceasefire, also spelled cease fire, is a temporary halt in hostilities during a war. Both sides agree to suspend aggressive actions, often facilitated by a third-party mediator. Ceasefires can involve state actors (countries) or non-state actors (such as rebel groups). They can range in duration from a few hours to allow for humanitarian aid or evacuation of civilians to much longer periods intended as steps toward a permanent peace agreement. While a ceasefire pauses active fighting, it doesn't necessarily resolve the underlying conflict. It can be a fragile agreement, susceptible to violations by either party if they believe the other side isn't upholding the terms or if they strategically choose to renew hostilities.
October 1947: Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 began in October 1947, sparked by conflict in Kashmir.
1947: Indo-Pakistani War
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 led to the establishment of a ceasefire line in Kashmir in 1949 with the Karachi Agreement.
1949: Karachi Agreement
The Karachi Agreement, signed in 1949, established a ceasefire line in Kashmir following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.
November 29, 1952: Eisenhower's Korea Visit
On November 29, 1952, US President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Korea to explore ways to end the Korean War.
July 27, 1953: Korean Armistice Agreement
On July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, establishing a ceasefire between the UN Command, the Korean People's Army (KPA), and the People's Volunteer Army (PVA).
1968: New Year's Day Truce
A 24-hour truce declared on New Year's Day, 1968, was broken by the Viet Cong and North Vietnam who attacked South Vietnamese and US forces shortly after the start.
January 15, 1973: Bombing Halt in North Vietnam
On January 15, 1973, US President Richard Nixon ordered a halt to the aerial bombing of North Vietnam, following peace proposals.
1989: Ceasefires from 1989-2020
From 1989 to 2020, there were over two thousand ceasefires declared across a large number of countries and civil wars.
June 1993: Bombing of Iraq
In June 1993, Iraq was bombed in response to an alleged assassination attempt on former US President George H. W. Bush.
1998: Operation Desert Fox
In 1998, US President Bill Clinton ordered the bombing of Baghdad during Operation Desert Fox.
2003: US-UK Invasion of Iraq
In 2003, US and UK forces invaded Iraq, ending the period of conflict that followed the 1991 ceasefire.
February 8, 2005: Israeli-Palestinian Ceasefire
A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority was announced on February 8, 2005.
2018: Kashmir Valley Ceasefire
In 2018, India declared a ceasefire in the Kashmir Valley during Ramadan.
June 2020: UN Support for Global Ceasefire
In June 2020, 172 UN Member States and Observers signed a non-binding statement supporting a global ceasefire appeal due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020: UN Security Council Resolution
On July 1, 2020, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding a global cessation of hostilities for at least 90 days.
2020: Ceasefires from 1989-2020
From 1989 to 2020, there were over two thousand ceasefires declared across a large number of countries and civil wars.
May 2023: Trump's Claim on Ukraine War
In May 2023, Donald Trump claimed he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if he were president.