No one in Gaza is under the illusion that peace is fully here. The cease-fire agreement announced on Wednesday in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, represents the first phase of a U.S.-brokered plan: Hostilities are to pause, the Israeli military will pull back to agreed-on positions and Hamas is to release all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian access is expected to increase, and more detailed arrangements for reconstruction, governance and security will be negotiated in subsequent phases. While these steps are significant, the hard work now begins — turning promises into realities, and ensuring that rebuilding does not stop at concrete and steel but extends to trust and coexistence.
