Hamas has consented to free the remaining hostages, albeit dependent on talks and certain terms being fulfilled. This development brings genuine optimism to relatives in Israel who have been desperate for such news for a long time.
A further crucial aspect of the agreement is the proposal of handing over the administration of the Gaza Strip to local technocrats. Nonetheless, many additional elements are glaring by their omission, most notably the requirement that Hamas lay down its arms.
The Israeli government will now be poring over the wording to determine the real meaning and to judge whether this constitutes a genuine earnest agreement of key points or merely an effort to delay and restart protracted negotiations.
Given that this occurred just a few hours after the former US president issued his final ultimatum for Hamas to agree or face "all hell," several members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are likely to be doubtful.
Such doubts may be intensified now that the American leader has called on them to promptly stop the bombing of Gaza.
Moreover, the government may not like the final section implying that Hamas would keep a role in discussions over the long term future of Gaza.
While the statement is important undoubtedly, there is yet a great deal of specifics to be resolved before peace becomes anything like a actual situation.
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