The ceasefire in Gaza was less than a day old when Israeli soldiers shot dead a young Palestinian man near the West Bank city of Jenin. The Israel Defence Forces said the man threw an explosive device at one of their brigades. The Palestinians said he died during a raid to displace more of their people.

This was not a breach of the ceasefire, which only applies to Gaza. It was, however, proof that conflict between Palestinians and Israelis can happen at any moment. It was the sort of clash that could wreck a ceasefire in an instant.

Hamas fighters break cover during the previous ceasefire earlier this year.Credit: AP

The peace deal appears to be holding, so far. But it is only in its early phase. The IDF withdrew as promised at noon on Friday, and the retreat was verified by US military commanders. Thousands of Palestinians began walking back to their homes, many of which had been destroyed by Israeli bombing and bulldozing.

Hamas, meanwhile, began preparing to return the last of the hostages it seized in its terror attack on Israel two years ago. The crucial test of the ceasefire comes on Monday when the hostages must be handed over. The deadline is 8pm (AEDT).

There is no way forward unless Hamas accepts, in full, its obligation to release the hostages. The group thought it could use the hostages as leverage after the horror of October 7, 2023, but all it did was invite unrelenting war from Israel. What else could it expect after raping and burning its victims? Its strategic failure is measured in the dead........

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