![The Middle East: Gaza ceasefire is unlikely to hold](https://cyprus-mail.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Palestinians-walking-past-the-rubble-of-houses-and-buildings-destroyed-in-Israeli-strikes-during-the-war-in-Khan-Younis.jpg)
In the 80 hours between Wednesday, January 15, when the Gaza ceasefire agreement was announced, and Sunday, January 19, when it went into effect, Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed 123 Palestinians including dozens of women and children. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said it had tried to avoid civilian casualties, but it had to kill the ‘terrorists’ of Hamas wherever they were.
Now, of course, it has