As international leaders gathered in Egypt on Monday to mark the first stage of a ceasefire deal in Gaza , activists in the Bay Area celebrated the relief of the major breakthrough but said it isn’t without hesitation — and fear — over whether it will lead to prolonged peace.

On Monday, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli hostages captured during their Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, and in exchange, Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were detained without charges during the two-year war.

The Israeli hostages were delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross inside Gaza in two groups, NPR reported , and many have been reunited with loved ones in Israel, according to social media posts from the Israel Defense Forces. Many of t

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