Dear *|FNAME|*,
Wednesday evening brought long hoped for news of a ceasefire in Gaza, agreed between Hamas and the Israeli government. The coming release of the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners is a welcome de-escalation. But even in the short period between news of an agreement in principle and the Israeli Cabinet’s approval of the deal, more than a hundred Palestinians were killed in an intensified bombing campaign.
It has been a horrific fifteen months, characterised by the mass murder and maiming of a civilian population and unchecked violations of international humanitarian law. The international community must now do everything within its power to ensure this fragile truce holds. Those responsible for the atrocities committed in Gaza must be brought to justice. Western governments must start working towards a just and equal peace built on equal rights and mutual respect between Palestinians and Israelis.