A ceasefire deal is here. For Gaza, the Middle East and the world, the future remains unknown

There may be no winners in war, but history suggests combatants are often eager to convince the world otherwise. The ending of the 15-month conflict in Gaza may prove an exception. The sacrifice has been so great, the misery so complete, and the ultimate future for Gaza so uncertain that few can claim with certainty that this was all worthwhile, or likely to benefit Israel's security in the long term. The damage to Israel's reputation may last decades. In their final interviews and speeches as they prepared to leave office, it was noticeable the key foreign policy figures in the…