Israelis and Palestinians breathed a sigh of relief when the ceasefire began. Now they are holding their breath to see if it lasts. Although there are some signs of hope, there are also far more reasons for concern.

The deal has three phases, each more contingent and fragile than the preceding one. The first phase, lasting six weeks, began with the release of three Israeli hostages in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. Another 30 Israelis and more than 1,600 Palestinians will be gradually released.

Although the ceasefire is holding, worrying developments cast doubt on Netanyahu’s commitment to implementing the next phase.

The Israel Defense Forces bombed targets until the last minute, killing 73 people in air raids the night before the ceasefire was announced. Benjamin Netanyahu then declared that “both President Trump and President Biden gave full backing to Israel’s right to return to fighting if Israel comes to the conclusion that negotiations on Phase B are futile.”

Perhaps he was answering critics who viewed the ceasefire agreement as a sell-out, but he may also have been indicating his own unhappiness with the deal.

Netanyahu only agreed to it under pressure from Trump’s envoy, Steven Witkoff. “What happened,” a senior Israeli official explained, “is that Witkoff delivered a stern message from the incoming president of the United States, who unequivocally demanded the deal’s conclusion.”

Developments elsewhere in the occupied territories are also worrying. No sooner had the dust in Gaza settled than Netanyahu began operations in the West Bank.

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the IDF began air and ground attacks against Jenin, killing 10 Palestinians.

The immediate pretext for the incursion was unclear, but Netanyahu insisted its goal was to “defeat........

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