A ceasefire, also spelled cease-fire, is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions, often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may be between state actors or involve non-state actors. Unlike declarations of a cessation of hostilities or a truce, a cease-fire is generally meant to be binding. Like a cessation of hostilities or truce, it is only temporary in nature but is generally expected to last for a longer period of time. Unlike a truce, a humanitarian pause, or a cessation of hostilities, the declaration of a cease-fire often applies to the entire geographical area of a conflict, according to the UN.