The ceasefire is a considerable achievement. It’s long overdue.
Versions of the deal have been on the table since May last year. Hamas and Israel have blamed each other for the delays.
Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023 that killed around 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, has left Gaza in ruins. Most of Gaza’s population of well over two million has been displaced.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli attacks have killed almost 50,000 people, both combatants and civilians. A recent study in the Lancet medical journal says that might be a major underestimate.
The first big challenge is making sure the ceasefire holds. Senior Western diplomats fear that after the first phase of 42 days the war could resume.
The Gaza war has had immense consequences across the Middle East.
It did not, as many feared, lead to a general war in the region – the Biden administration has claimed credit for that – but it has led to geostrategic upheaval.