A ceasefire is an agreement between groups or countries at war to stop fighting for a period of time. When armies declare a ceasefire, soldiers on both sides put down their weapons and halt their attacks, even though the underlying conflict hasn't been fully resolved.

Ceasefires can be temporary pauses to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians, to exchange prisoners, or to give diplomats time to negotiate a more permanent peace. Sometimes a ceasefire becomes the first step toward ending a war entirely. Other times, fighting resumes after the ceasefire period ends.

Historically, opposing commanders might signal a ceasefire by raising white flags or sending messengers across battle lines. During World War I, soldiers on both sides famously observed an unofficial ceasefire on Christmas Day in 1914, emerging from their trenches to exchange greetings and even play soccer together before returning to war afterward.

A ceasefire differs from a peace treaty: a ceasefire simply stops the violence temporarily, while a peace treaty formally ends a war and addresses the reasons for the conflict. Think of it like two classmates in a heated argument agreeing to stop yelling so a teacher can help them work things out.