Israel has typically concluded wars through ceasefires, external pressure, withdrawals, or negotiated agreements. Formal surrenders have been uncommon in conflicts since 1948.
The 1948 war ended with separate armistice agreements that separated the warring forces but did not lead to peace treaties or resolve territorial disputes.
After the 1956 Suez Crisis, pressure from the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Nations compelled Israel to withdraw from Sinai. While Israel gained security arrangements, it could not retain the captured territory.
The victory in 1967 resulted in ceasefires and significant territorial gains but did not resolve disputes regarding occupation, borders, or Palestinian rights. The 1973 war followed a different course.
U.S.-led diplomacy facilitated the 1978 Camp David Accords and the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. Israel later withdrew from Sinai in exchange for peace
Lebanon brought less complete endings. Israel withdrew most of its forces in 1985 and left its southern security zone in 2000 without a peace treaty.
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United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 ended the 2006 fighting. Hezbollah kept its weapons, although the arrangements supported years of relative calm.
Repeated Gaza campaigns also ended without Hamas surrendering or losing all military capability. The October 2025 ceasefire left Gaza’s political future unresolved.
The confrontation with Iran poses a similar challenge. Destroying launchers, nuclear sites or military facilities differs from preventing their reconstruction.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared there will be “no more containment of threats”. Lasting results would still require enforcement, monitoring and political arrangements after combat. By October, the US naval blockade and the dispute over reopening the Strait of Hormuz remained unresolved.
Israel’s wars have ended through armistices, international pressure, territorial withdrawals and ceasefires, while only some produced lasting political agreements.
