The announcement of a phased peace plan between Israel and Hamas marks a moment of both relief and uncertainty for a region long accustomed to despair. After two years of relentless conflict, the decision to exchange hostages and prisoners, withdraw troops from parts of Gaza, and allow the flow of humanitarian aid signals a long-awaited pause in the violence. Yet, beneath the jubilation on the streets of Tel Aviv and Gaza City lies a sobering truth ~ that peace, once proclaimed, is never guaranteed until it is lived. This agreement, however tentative, represents a significant shift in tone.

It is the first time in two years that both parties have acknowledged a common framework, however narrow, to reduce hostilities. The scale of the destruction in Gaza, the staggering loss of life, and the psychological exhaustion on both sides have created conditions where even a partial........

© The Statesman