EXPERT COMMENT
Plans to rebuild Gaza after the war must be made alongside securing the safe return of all hostages.
The complex hostage release deal announced this morning is welcome - but leaves many questions unanswered.
In order to ensure that this deal establishes an important benchmark in de-escalation of the conflict - helping to pave the way to stability, security, and ultimately peace - the mediators of the deal must continue to work towards key goals: ensuring that all hostages are released, and that plans are in place for the displaced population of Gaza as well as the rebuilding of Gaza's governing institutions and infrastructure.
This will require clear agreements between the Palestinian Authority and all key international actors, to ensure a smooth transition on the day the war ends to a situation which provides stability and security for Palestine and Israel, and ultimately, peace.
The only way forward is to offer security guarantees for both Palestine and Israel, alongside the implementation of the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi 2002 plan which was later adopted by the Arab League and calls for a sovereign Palestinian state alongside an Israeli sovereign state based on the 1967 Green Line, in exchange for peace agreements between Israel and all Arab countries.
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