Gaza ceasefire hopes rise as pressure grows on Hamas and Israel

For all these reasons, now is seen as the best chance in months to bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas and bring an end to the war.

What has not shifted in the eight months since they were last negotiating are the gaps between them.

Key among them is a direct conflict between the key concern of Hamas, which wants to end the war, and that of Israel, which wants to keep the door open to resuming the conflict, whether for political or military reasons.

The deal, as outlined by President Joe Biden in May, is divided into three phases, with a permanent ceasefire only coming into effect in phase two.

Success now will likely depend on whether guarantees can be found to allay Hamas fears that Israel will pull out of the deal after the first phase of hostage releases.

Questions over how to administer territory that Israel pulls back from are also unclear at this stage.

But the web of diplomacy criss-crossing the region over the past week, and the fact that Netanyahu has sent the heads of Israel’s security agencies to the talks in Doha, along with a key political adviser, are encouraging signs.

So too is the departure for Doha of the Palestinian detainee co-ordinator, Qadoura Fares.

The deal is not yet done – and talks have fallen apart before.

This old deal is fuelling fresh hopes partly because negotiations are taking place in a new regional context, with growing pressures both internally and from key allies abroad.