The announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah is welcome news for a region torn apart by more than a year of warfare. Hopefully when implemented, the ceasefire will offer some respite for both Lebanese and Israeli civilians. The deal came into effect at 4am local time on Wednesday. However, the previous 24'48 hours had seen a dramatic increase in violence on both sides. This is part of a well-established pattern in warfare in which fighting increases in intensity just before a ceasefire comes into force. Specifically, I study the terms and power dynamics of ceasefires to better understand some of their less obvious consequences. Here are four questions and concerns I have about the current Israel'Hezbollah ceasefire. Returning Israelis to their homes in the north has been one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's explicit war aims. Thousands of Israelis from the north have been housed in hotels across the country for more than a year at great expense to...
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