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Media Terms: Truce

The Qatar Press Center begins publishing a new series to explain the terms used in newspapers and media outlets.

Today, we learn about the term “truce,” its definition, conditions, when it takes place, and how it ends.

Definition :- An informal agreement on military operations between two warring parties, usually for a short period of time and limited areas, and often serves a specific purpose.

- A procedure that has a political character in addition to its military nature, and may be a prelude to a peace treaty between the warring parties.

It may be comprehensive or partial, covering only certain areas, and has a term, and ends upon its expiration if an extension or final agreement is not reached.

Objectives :- The truce is based on a humanitarian aspect, such as allowing the entry of medical teams, transporting the wounded and dead, delivering humanitarian aid to the residents of the affected areas, and exchanging prisoners.

Mechanism :- One of the warring parties submits a request for a truce to the opposing party in the conflict, and after several negotiations and meetings, the truce is signed by the conflicting parties who negotiated.

Parties :- The right to conclude a truce is vested in the governments of the warring states themselves, not the heads of the warring forces.

The truce is concluded by representatives of the two parties specially appointed for negotiation, and it does not become binding unless it is approved by the governments of the states party to the war.

Syriac :- The truce shall come into effect after its date has been set, and the two warring parties shall ensure its implementation and respect for its provisions, in addition to the parties that conducted or sponsored the negotiations.

- When the truce comes into effect, each party must inform its military forces to stop fighting immediately.

Controls :- The truce is regulated by a set of legal texts, most notably international humanitarian law.

- The army commanders in the field have no choice but to abide by the terms and requirements of the truce, by not firing, allowing the entry of humanitarian and relief aid, exchanging prisoners and detainees, and alleviating the suffering of the inhabitants of the conflict areas.

End the truce :- No matter how long the truce lasts, it remains merely a temporary cessation of hostilities between the parties to the conflict, and it does not end except by signing a peace treaty.

- The warring parties may resume hostilities at any time, if no specific duration is agreed upon.

- If the enemy commits a serious unilateral violation of the terms of the ceasefire, this exempts the other party from the obligation to notify.