According to Galip Dalay, a nonresident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, while negotiations suggest a ceasefire in Gaza might be imminent, there remains uncertainty about whether both sides fully agree on the terms.
Dalay explained to Al Jazeera that for many in Israel, the focus of a ceasefire centers on the release of Israeli prisoners.
On the other hand, for Hamas and Palestinians, the priorities extend beyond captives to include ending the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Dalay cautioned against allowing a ceasefire to pave the way for reoccupation of Gaza or the establishment of Israeli settlements there, an idea proposed by some Israeli ministers.
Such actions, he argued, would lead to disaster and fuel further radicalism across the region.
Dalay also warned that prolonged atrocities reduce the chances of captives being safely released, underlining the urgency of reaching an agreement for the sake of both the captives and the people of Gaza.