David M. Halbfinger

I don't think you can really overstate how important it was to ordinary Israelis across the political spectrum to reach this point.

From the start of the war, the seizure of the hostages really created an overwhelming imperative for the Israeli military and for the Israeli government to bring those hostages home.

And the longer the war dragged on, the fate of the hostages, both living and dead, was something that really animated a big anti-war movement in Israel.

You saw banners and billboards and bumper stickers all over the country.

There were protests, small and large, in every little town in Hamlet.

and major city, it also was like the biggest source of opposition to Netanyahu.

Getting all the Israeli captives back was perhaps the most important precondition to allowing Israel and Gaza to move into what is supposed to be phase two of the Trump peace plan for Gaza.

That may actually prove to be a more difficult phase because it requires Hamas support.

to disarm and for Gaza to be demilitarized.

It requires the creation of an international force of soldiers designed to keep the peace.

It requires the creation of a new Palestinian government.

All of these things are in motion, but it's unclear how quickly they can come to pass.