Whilst I worked this morning I had on in the background a live stream of the news. I don’t normally watch the news, I prefer to read it after things have happened but this morning I wanted to know what was happening as things unfolded.

I’m talking about the release of the Israeli hostages who have spent 736 days in captivity. Held by Hamas, in underground tunnels, starved of food, daylight, and many other things we take for granted.

I cannot imagine the relief their families must be feeling.

I cannot imagine the grief the families of the remaining 28 hostages whose remains they are waiting to be returned.

Two years it has taken for all the hostages to be released. A war which could’ve ended at any time in that time by Hamas releasing them. For now a fragile peace is in place. I can only pray that it continues.

Already there are talks on going for the second stage of the ceasefire. The disarmament of Hamas and their stepping down from any form of control in Gaza. This will be the biggest obstacle for those involved to over come.

There are already reports of Hamas attacking rival tribes and executing “collaborators” in Gaza City. It does not look promising. How do you persuade a group whose sole existence is founded on the distraction of a group of people? I can only pray.