History of Ceasefire in Timeline

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.

December 24, 1914: Christmas Truce

On December 24, 1914, an unofficial Christmas truce occurred on the Western Front of World War I, involving France, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

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.

December 1948: Ceasefire Agreement Reached

A ceasefire agreement was reached between India and Pakistan in late December 1948.

January 1949: Indo-Pakistani Ceasefire

A UN-mediated ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into effect in January 1949, ending the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

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.

January 27, 1973: Vietnam War Ceasefire

On January 27, 1973, a ceasefire agreement involving all parties of the Vietnam War was signed, leading up to the Paris Peace Accord.

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.

March 3, 1991: Iraq-UN Ceasefire

On March 3, 1991, following Operation Desert Storm, Iraq and the UN Security Council signed a ceasefire agreement.

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.

1996: Operation Desert Strike

In 1996, the US conducted Operation Desert Strike, bombing Iraq.

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.

November 21, 2023: Israel-Hamas Truce

On November 21, 2023, Qatar announced a truce between Israel and Hamas involving the release of hostages and increased aid to Palestinian civilians.

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