Two sets of talks are going on—one in Cairo, one in New York—that might restart a cease-fire in Gaza and lead to the release of more Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Success in one or both sets of talks is important, not only for its own sake—the inherent value of killing fewer civilians and freeing more hostages—but also for political reasons: within the U.S., within Israel, and between both countries and the rest of the world.

--SSP Alum Fred Kaplan in Slate