Our Planet Climate and Geopolitics
On Sunday morning, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in Gaza. Displaced Palestinians headed home, aid trucks began entering the Strip, and three female hostages including a dual Israeli-British national were released.
After 15 months of bloody war, the peace will do well to last. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 13 Palestinians between 8.30am, when the ceasefire was meant to take effect, and 11.15am, when it did.
Phase one will see Hamas free 33 Israeli hostages over the next six weeks, with 1,700 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel. Phase two will see the other living hostages returned and a total withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The third and final phase will see deceased hostages returned and a Gaza reconstruction plan.
Reaching phase three would be a miracle of international diplomacy. It took one to get this far.
