Gaza Ceasefire Deal: As part of a historic ceasefire agreement, 33 hostages, including infants, are set to be released. These individuals have been held captive since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. After over 450 days in captivity, a deal between Hamas and Israel has been reached to facilitate their release as part of the first phase.
Mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the agreement outlines a phased exchange: Hamas will release the hostages, and Israel will free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. This initial phase, following approval by Israel's Security Cabinet, is expected to start on Sunday, January 19.
The hostages, a diverse group including women, children, elderly individuals, and dual nationals, have endured more than a year of captivity. The Israeli government stated that the release will proceed only after notifying families and confirming the hostages’ safe return to Israeli custody.
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Who Are the 33 Hostages?
The list of hostages encompasses individuals from various backgrounds, each with a harrowing story linked to the October 7 attacks. Among them are soldiers, civilians, children, and elderly individuals. The list of names includes: Liri Albag, Itzhak Elgarat, Karina Ariev, Ohad Ben Ami, Ariel Bibas, Yarden Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas, Agam Berger, Romi Gonen, Daniella Gilboa, Emily Damari, Sagui Dekel Chen, Iair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Alexandre Sasha Troufanov, Arbel Yehoud, Ohad Yahalomi, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Naama Levy, Oded Lifshitz, Gadi Moshe Mozes, Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, Shlomo Mantzur, Keith Samuel Sigal, Tsachi Idan, Ofer Kalderon, Tal Shoham, Doron Steinbrecher, Omer Shem Tov, Hisham Al-Sayed, and Eli Sharabi.
Notable names include:
- Kfir Bibas (1) and Ariel Bibas (5), the youngest captives, abducted alongside their parents, Shiri and Yarden Bibas.
- Oded Lifshitz (84), a peace activist from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Keith Samuel Siegel (65), an American-Israeli taken with his wife.
-Romi Gonen (24), abducted while fleeing the Supernova festival.
Some hostages have appeared in videos released by Hamas, showing their conditions or making pleas for their release.
Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire, aiming to end the 15-month-long war in Gaza. This war has caused massive destruction, with Israeli forces killing nearly 50,000 people in Palestine, most of them women and children. The ceasefire, brokered by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, includes Israel’s gradual withdrawal from Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. The deal was finalized after a month of intense negotiations and will officially begin on Sunday if approved by the Israeli government.
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How Will the Ceasefire Work?
The Israel-Gaza ceasefire will occur in three stages once the agreement is implemented. Before taking effect, the deal requires approval from Israel’s security cabinet and government.
The first phase, lasting six weeks, will enforce a "full and complete ceasefire," according to US President Joe Biden, who confirmed the deal on Wednesday. During this phase, Hamas will release several hostages, including women, the elderly, and the sick, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
How Did the Israel-Hamas War Start?
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, breaking through the border and targeting towns, police stations, and army bases. Over 1,200 people were killed, and more than 250 were taken hostage. Thousands of rockets were also fired into Israel, with some hitting Tel Aviv.
In response, Israel launched airstrikes and later a ground invasion, carrying out attacks across Gaza. These attacks caused heavy civilian casualties. While Israel says its operations targeted Hamas leaders, many have accused it of killing civilians and committing war crimes.
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