Aaron David Miller

and I don't want to take anything away from what this is, is a remarkable moment.

I worked on this process largely in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations since the 1980s.

Any agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, let alone one between two combatants who are pledged to one another's mutual destruction, is an extraordinary achievement.

What this is...

is a chance after two years of Israelis and Palestinians visiting a parade of horrific horrors on one another.

What this is, is the possibility of ending the war in Gaza and maybe building a broader bridge so that Israelis and Palestinians can find a pathway forward.

You know, I do, and I usually don't, having failed largely over a quarter of a century in helping to create circumstances for conflict-ending agreement between Israel and Palestinians.

I usually default to the negative on this.

But I think, and it's fascinating to consider...

what the first phase actually promises.

It contains, in my judgment, the three basic elements that, in fact, could create a foundation.

And those elements coincide with the reasons, the international community, the region, the United States.

cared about Gaza beginning on October 7.

First, it does address conclusively the issue of the remaining hostages, 20 men alive who have been returned, 28 hostages who are no longer alive.

Only some have been returned.

And that's going to be an issue.

Whether it's a deal breaker, I doubt it.

But it will be an issue.

Hamas has committed itself to locating and returning the bodies.

of 28 hostages.