The Brief
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Israel and Hamas agreed to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip
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Hostages in Gaza, prisoners in Israel to be released
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Thousands displaced in Gaza to return to what is left of their homes
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal and to release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
What we know
This follows more than 400 days of violence resulting in tens of thousands of deaths in the region.
Ceasefire deals between the two have been reached in the past and broken, so this deal is causing many in the Bay Area to be nervously optimistic.
“It’s hard to remain hopeful given the amount of destruction and cease-fires that have not materialized,” said Sharif Zakout, the Partnerships Coordinator at The Arab Resource Center. “I approach this with a lot of caution.”
Zakout has lost more than 70 family members in the war between Israel and Hamas. He hopes the deal goes through so his family can move back home without the fear of violence.
Both sides want innocent civilians to stop dying.
What they’re saying
Rabbi Mark Bloom at Temple Beth Abraham in Oakland, is still concerned, but wants famines brought back together.
“I do think the motivation is high for everybody. Nobody wants to see the suffering that we’ve have,” said Bloom. “I can’t imagine that even Hamas wants to see tens of thousands of their own people dying.”
University of San Francisco professor, and an expert on the Middle East, Stephen Zunes, believes a ceasefire would be good for both sides.
“When you have a temporary pause like this, when people are able to breathe, people can look at interim steps that need to be taken that will end the Israeli occupation of Gaza,” Zunes said.
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