What will come next remains unclear in the absence of a comprehensive agreement on the postwar future of Gaza, and although the stated aim of the ceasefire is to end the war entirely, it could easily unravel.

Months of tedious talks over a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza – negotiations that required officials from an outgoing and incoming presidential administration to put aside their fundamental differences – culminated in an intense late-night push for an agreement that finally came to fruition on Wednesday.

Israeli media reported on Thursday that two of the hostages to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas have been held in the Gaza Strip for many years. According to the report,