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Israel and Hamas ended their latest round of fighting with a minimalist cease-fire, referred to in the lexicon of their long-standing conflict as “quiet for quiet.” Though the rocket fire and air strikes have come to a halt for now, there was no broader or deeper agreement, no promise to keep the peace for any particular length of time and no steps taken to address the conflict’s triggers or root causes.
International attention understandably remains focused on Gaza, where a tragic and all-too-familiar inventory is underway. After the dead are buried, the wounded and displaced counted and the massive damage to property and infrastructure tallied, Gazans, the United Nations and international donors will figure out how to start rebuilding.