'A lot of hope' but 'the hard work has yet to begin' in Gaza: Foreign policy expert

Ceasefire & Hostage Release - A US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza has officially gone into effect [1] - Hamas is set to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners [2] Challenges to Long-Term Peace - The current ceasefire is just the "first inning" with much more work needed to achieve lasting peace [5] - There is a lack of hope for a better future on both sides, with Israelis and Palestinians questioning each other's desire for peace [7][10][11] - Key issues remain unresolved, including the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza [5][9][16][17] - The involvement and desire of Gulf states and other Middle Eastern Arab states to bring the conflict to an end is important [8] Political Landscape - Israeli elections are approaching, and the current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is likely to win [5][11][12][13] - The composition of the next coalition government in Israel is uncertain [14] - The future governing body for Gaza is unclear, and Palestinians' desires are not being adequately considered [14][15]