The sense of relief sweeping across the Middle East and beyond over the news that a ceasefire in Gaza is finally within sight is palpable.

But negotiators have repeatedly stressed that the deal, reached in the early hours of the morning in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, is just the first phase of a broader agreement still to be negotiated on permanently ending the war.

Even that first phase is fraught with peril. Either Israel or Hamas backsliding on perceived commitments would carry with it the potential to collapse the ceasefire.

For Palestinians in Gaza who have endured unprecedented hardship and bloodshed, and for desperate Israeli families whose loved ones have endured two years of captivity, that means anxiety is just as palpable as relief.

“My feelings are all over the place, you can’t

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