Hopes for a truce in Gaza give way to fears of a long stalemate
The fighting has continued into Ramadan, but neither Israel nor Hamas can achieve much
RAMADAN, the Muslim month of fasting, was never going to be a joyful time in Gaza this year, but it was at least meant to be a hopeful one. For weeks Western and Arab officials laboured to strike a truce between Israel and Hamas before it began on March 10th. Palestinians in Gaza would have had a respite from five months of near-constant war. Dozens of Israeli hostages would have returned home. Diplomats hoped they could then turn the temporary ceasefire into a permanent one.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A bleak outlook”
From the March 16th 2024 edition
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