The approval of Israel’s cabinet to the ceasefire deal with Hamas has paved the way for a pause to the 15 months of war in Gaza, with the six-week truce starting Sunday, January 19.
The deal was mediated by key negotiators Qatar and Egypt, with US officials being closely involved in the deal. The agreement aims to bring an end to the war that began with Hamas’ surprise attack into Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal in points
- The first phase of the ceasefire agreement will last for 42 days and will see the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that hostages will include “civilian women and female recruits, as well as children, elderly people…civilian ill people and wounded”.
- Two sources close to the militant group told news agency AFP that three Israeli women soldiers would be the first ones to be released on Sunday evening, though Hamas refers to all Israel citizens of military age as soldiers.
- In exchange for the hostages, Israel “was prepared to pay a heavy price – in the hundreds”, said government spokesperson David Mencer. As many as 95 Palestinian prisoners will be released in this first exchange. News agency AP reported that Israel’s Justice Ministry has published a list of over 700 Palestinian prisoners who are to be released under the ceasefire deal. It, however, was not clear whether the 95 prisoners to be released by Israel will be considered the first batch of these 700 Palestinian prisoners. Israel said that it cannot release anyone before 4 pm local time on Sunday.
- Three points have been set up, one each at Kerem Shalom and Erez, both border crossing with Gaza, and one in Reim to the east of the region. Hostages would be released to the points, where doctors and mental health specialists will examine them. After this, they will be transported to hospitals in Israel via helicopter or vehicle.
- Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza’s densely populated areas during the initial 42 days to allow the swap of prisoners and displaced Palestinian people. An Israeli military official said that the army had come up with a “revised defensive plan” involving “strengthening defensive measures along the Gaza Strip border”.
- While Israeli forces will step back from specific locations and routes within the Gaza Strip, residents will not be allowed to return to areas where Israeli troops are present or those near the Israel-Gaza border.
- Under the proposed ceasefire deal, Israel would also maintain a buffer zone within Gaza during the first phase, AFP reported citing Israeli media. Israeli forces are likely to stay in place up to “800 metres inside Gaza from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanun in the north”, an AFP report cited a source close to Hamas.
- While Israeli troops won’t fully withdraw from Gaza until “all hostages are returned”, it would allow displaced Palestinians to return through an electronic checkpoint with cameras.
Second phase negotiations
An Israeli official earlier this week said that negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire agreement will begin on the “16th day” of the first phase’s implementation.
Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed, meanwhile, said that the mediating countries, Qatar, Egypt and the US, will closely monitor the truce deal through a body based in Cairo.
There was a “clear mechanism to negotiate phase two and three”, he added.
“We hope that this will be the last page of the war and we hope that all parties will commit to implementing all the terms of this agreement,” Qatar’s PM had said.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden had asserted that the second phase of the truce deal would bring a “permanent end to the war”, adding that it would comprise an exchange for the release of remaining hostages who are still alive. Following which, all the remaining Israeli troops will also withdraw from Gaza.
