Mainers with ties to the Middle East are watching with subdued hope as mediators promise a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by the weekend.

Fateh Azzam, who was born as a Palestinian refugee, was at his home in Georgetown when he heard about announcements by American and Qatari officials that Israel’s government and Hamas had agreed to the framework for temporary ceasefire Wednesday.

“I was, of course, very happy,” Azzam said during a phone call Thursday afternoon. “And a little bit worried, at the same time, that it’s not going to be yet another false alarm. Because we’ve had so many of those.”

Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, react to the ceasefire announcement as they take part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel on Wednesday. Oded Balilty/Associated Press

Camden resident Jordan Cohen, who has dual Israeli and American citizenship, was also at home, watching a bluebird visit his backyard for the very first time, when he heard the news.

“My initial reaction is hopeful. I mean that’s the only word that I could use: hopeful,” Cohen said. “I can’t say I’m breathing a sigh of relief. … I just know that it’s incredibly fragile, incredibly delicate.”

Several Mainers on both sides of the conflict used “fragile” to describe the ceasefire framework announced this week. Though some argued that the agreement is a bad deal for Israel or does too little for the Palestinian people, most said they were happy to see any progress toward resolving the 15-month conflict, which has killed more than 2,000 Israelis and 46,000 Palestinians.

The deal announced Wednesday would see scores of hostages held in Gaza released and a pause in fighting with a view to eventually wind down a war that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Though his government had not yet approved it, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Friday that a deal to release the hostages had been reached.

Azzam said he felt hopeful that Netanyahu’s government would formally sign the agreement by Sunday, but the following steps still felt shaky. He said there are “too many open questions” in what details of the agreement have been shared publicly, including how — or whether — a lasting peace prevails.

“I think there will be a temporary ceasefire, whether it becomes permanent is a question mark in my mind,” Azzam, 74, said on a phone call Thursday afternoon. “I have lived through these games with the Israelis forever. … I don’t really trust the ‘We’ll work this out later’ approach.”

Rabbi Gary Berenson, who leads Portland’s Congregation Etz Chaim synagogue, said his community hosts a wide range of political affiliations and opinions on the war.

“There are many people who will be overjoyed within my group with this decision, and there are many people who have already told me ‘I can’t believe we’re going to do this,'” he said.

Speaking personally, Berenson said the latest deal seemed extremely similar to proposals made by President Joe Biden’s administration last year, and he argued that it includes the release of a disproportionate number “terrorists and murderers” from Israeli jails in exchange for civilian hostages.

“This is not a message of strength, and I’m not sure why they chose this time to do it,” Berenson said. Still, “I’m very, very happy for those families who will see their loved ones returned.”

Berenson worries that Hamas might execute another attack once it has been given time to regroup and reform during the ceasefire.

“There’s already talk on going back on some of the parameters of the deal, and if that’s the case, then the deal’s going to be off,” he said. “How do you bargain with someone like that?”

A day after the deal’s announcement, Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. Hamas denied those claims.

But Abby Fuller, chair of the nonprofit Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights, worries that Israel could be the one to violate the ceasefire.

She noted Israel’s continued strikes against what it says are Hezbollah bases in southern Lebanon, which some argue violate the terms of a November ceasefire with the militant group. Israel officials have also accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire terms.

“It seems to me that Israel’s message is that they will do whatever they want, and it doesn’t seem like they have allegiance to international laws,” Fuller said.

Fuller and Azzam both are concerned that a ceasefire in Gaza could trigger increased hostility in the West Bank.

“Attention needs to be paid to the settler rampages, to the confiscation of land,” Azzam said.

Leo Hilton, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace Maine, said he was hopeful that the “fragile ceasefire” agreement holds up and leads to a more lasting halt to the conflict. He believes that continued pressure by pro-Palestinian supporters will likely be necessary to ensure the ceasefire lasts.

Hilton said he ultimately wants to see the “unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid” into the region.

“We know that the trauma of this campaign of annihilation will continue to unfold for generations,” Hilton said. “It’s up to all of us to ensure that this temporary agreement is just the beginning. It’s one step on the path for Palestinian liberation, which we believe is the only way to achieve a just piece for everyone.”

Cohen, the dual Israeli-American citizen, said he was also disappointed by attempts to block a deal within Netanyahu’s Cabinet, including by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, who threatened to quit if the ceasefire is approved. He said those hard-line ideas represent only a fraction of the Israeli political landscape, even though they capture global attention.

“There’s definitely elements on the fringe who aren’t prioritizing the release of the hostages, and as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing more important. There never has been,” Cohen said. “Nothing is more important than reuniting people with their families.”

The 45-year-old said this has been the bloodiest war he’s seen Israel fight in his entire life. And while he is hopeful that Israelis and Palestinians will learn to coexist following the war, he feels “there’s no forgiving each other after this.”

“I hold no illusions that Israelis and Palestinians are going to come out of this and be kumbaya and hold hands,” Cohen said. But “there has to be a way that this ends, and people can live securely next to each other.”

Staff Writer Megan Gray contributed to this report, which also contains material from The Associated Press.