The cease-fire is also a beacon of hope for Palestinians who have suffered immensely during Israel’s 15-month campaign to eradicate Hamas. The Palestinian civilian death toll is estimated to be in the tens of thousands, with more than 80 percent of the population internally displaced.

Some troops had been expected to withdraw to allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans to go home. But Israel said the hostage exchange before that step had not gone as agreed. Hamas accused Israel of stalling.