Patrick Kingsley

And in exchange, Israel is supposed to release several hundred Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. And during that six weeks, we also expect Israeli troops to gradually withdraw, allowing

And in exchange, Israel is supposed to release several hundred Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. And during that six weeks, we also expect Israeli troops to gradually withdraw, allowing

several hundred thousand Palestinians who were displaced from their homes in northern Gaza to tents and makeshift camps in the south of the Strip to return to their homes, to move back northward to a decimated Gaza city. During all of that movement and exchanges of captives,

several hundred thousand Palestinians who were displaced from their homes in northern Gaza to tents and makeshift camps in the south of the Strip to return to their homes, to move back northward to a decimated Gaza city. During all of that movement and exchanges of captives,

there will be more negotiations to see if they can extend this initial six-week phase into another six-week phase during which the deal is supposed to become permanent and more hostages are supposed to be released for more prisoners. The problem is there is still much to be negotiated about that second phase.

there will be more negotiations to see if they can extend this initial six-week phase into another six-week phase during which the deal is supposed to become permanent and more hostages are supposed to be released for more prisoners. The problem is there is still much to be negotiated about that second phase.

There seems to be still some disagreement about where exactly Israel will withdraw from. And there's enough ambiguity in there that the deal could collapse after six weeks, if not before. And that ambiguity is intentional. Israel and first and foremost, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not want to agree to a deal that would definitively end the war. Hamas had the opposite perspective.

There seems to be still some disagreement about where exactly Israel will withdraw from. And there's enough ambiguity in there that the deal could collapse after six weeks, if not before. And that ambiguity is intentional. Israel and first and foremost, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not want to agree to a deal that would definitively end the war. Hamas had the opposite perspective.

They wanted a deal that would end the war for certain. And so the mediators between the two sides came up with ambiguous wording that would allow each side to feel like they were getting more or less what they want. The wording allows Israel to say that they can break the arrangement after six weeks, and it provides the...

They wanted a deal that would end the war for certain. And so the mediators between the two sides came up with ambiguous wording that would allow each side to feel like they were getting more or less what they want. The wording allows Israel to say that they can break the arrangement after six weeks, and it provides the...

possibility for Hamas that the ceasefire will extend beyond 42 days into something permanent and that they will be able to survive the war intact as a group and in power as the governing force over Gaza.

possibility for Hamas that the ceasefire will extend beyond 42 days into something permanent and that they will be able to survive the war intact as a group and in power as the governing force over Gaza.

The third phase would not be significantly different from the second phase, but there would be final exchanges of dead bodies and other human remains, as well as the start of a massive reconstruction project to rebuild the Gaza Strip over several years.

The third phase would not be significantly different from the second phase, but there would be final exchanges of dead bodies and other human remains, as well as the start of a massive reconstruction project to rebuild the Gaza Strip over several years.

I think there's several factors here. One, Israel is stronger. Two, Hamas is weaker. And three, the Trump administration is about to come into power and has put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli leader.

I think there's several factors here. One, Israel is stronger. Two, Hamas is weaker. And three, the Trump administration is about to come into power and has put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli leader.

Since last summer, Israel has had a series of military successes. It has most obviously weakened Hamas, taken over more of the Gaza Strip, destroyed more of Hamas's infrastructure, killed more Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwa, the man who did more than anyone to mastermind the October 7th attack on Israel at the start of the war.

Since last summer, Israel has had a series of military successes. It has most obviously weakened Hamas, taken over more of the Gaza Strip, destroyed more of Hamas's infrastructure, killed more Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwa, the man who did more than anyone to mastermind the October 7th attack on Israel at the start of the war.

Further afield, Israel has substantially weakened Hezbollah, a key ally of Hamas in Lebanon. It has weakened Hamas's main benefactor, Iran, destroying much of its air defenses. And another member of the Iran-led alliance, the Syrian government, has collapsed. So Prime Minister Netanyahu can...

Further afield, Israel has substantially weakened Hezbollah, a key ally of Hamas in Lebanon. It has weakened Hamas's main benefactor, Iran, destroying much of its air defenses. And another member of the Iran-led alliance, the Syrian government, has collapsed. So Prime Minister Netanyahu can...