By Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor
The truce was never going to work like clockwork. Between its two parties there is no trust and utter enmity.
Israelis and Hamas have traded accusations with each other over the setback that threatened to upend the exchange of hostages and prisoners.
Only eleventh-hour diplomacy by both Qataris and Egyptians saved the day and resolved the differences.
Hamas said Israel reneged on the deal not sending enough aid into Gaza. Israel says Hamas was playing games, flexing its muscles to show it’s calling the shots.
One official told Sky News you need nerves of steel to deal with Hamas.
That’s undoubtedly true. And they will be tested again before this truce is over.
There had been optimism earlier in the day, Egypt said both sides had signalled they want the truce extended for a day or two after the agreed four days is up.
By night fall, the Israelis were saying the opposite, reportedly threatening to start military operations by midnight if the hostages weren’t released.
Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Galant, visited Gaza by boat today, striding up its beach. And he repeated his intention to order the offensive to start again once the truce is over.
Both sides are playing hard ball.
There are two more days of ceasefire.
Today’s hitch isn’t likely to be the last but the fundamentals remain the same, both sides want the truce to hold if for different reasons.
Hamas wants to buy time to recover from Israel’s punishing seven-week assault on the ground and in the air.
It will hope the temporary truce can become permanent.
Israel says that is out of the question. It is only a matter of time it seems before the war is resumed, but in the meantime it hopes to bring its women and children home.
