A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is supposed to begin on Sunday. Here’s why

The official death toll of Palestinians killed in the war now comes to just over 46,000 .

The initial phase of the cease-fire is supposed to begin on Sunday , during which Hamas will release its first tranche of hostages and Israel its first war prisoners.

The morally outrageous quality of Israel ’s response strategically alienated its remaining allies, save only the Christian evangelicals.

Israel 's cease-fire with Hezbollah featured continued Israeli attacks on suspected Hezbollah hideouts in Lebanon for several weeks after the date the attacks were supposed to cease.

The reality on the ground in Gaza matches that described 2,000 years ago when Tacitus wrote of the aftermath of one of the Empire’s wars: “They make a desert and call it peace”.