The hostages were freed. Families were reunited. Israelis were exultant, understandably so. Exhausted IDF reservists ceased fire, withdrew, and may soon return home. The increasingly pointless pulverization of Gaza paused, permitting Palestinians to return to whatever is left of their homes.

Hamas then seized the territory vacated by the IDF, carrying out summary public executions to reinaugurate its reign of fear and terror.

In the end, the peace deal was exactly like previous arrangements stretching back more than four decades. Israel released prisoners and detainees for the living hostages. This time, the ratio was a hundred to one, which is actually low by historical standards. The IDF ceased fire and withdrew from some territory, into which its enemies reconstituted themselves.

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