Gaza Ceasefire: In a major breakthrough, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, paving the way for the 15-month-long war in Gaza to end. The war has seen massive destruction, particularly in Palestine, where Israeli Amy has killed nearly 50,000 people, most of whom are women and children. The ceasefire deal, negotiated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, will see the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in a phased manner, alongside the release of hostages under captivity of Hamas. Negotiators reached the truce deal on Wednesday night, after hectic parleys for over a month.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has announced that the Cabinet will not convene to approve the ceasefire deal until Hamas resolves its last-minute demands, according to reports. This development could potentially delay the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the US and Qatar.
Reuters quotes Netanyahu’s office, stating: “Hamas reneges on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions. The Israeli Cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”
Originally scheduled for 11 a.m. (9 a.m. GMT), the Jerusalem Post had earlier reported that the delay in the security Cabinet meeting was due to the “hostage deal delegation” not having completed its work in Qatar or returned to Israel.
Meanwhile, despite the ceasefire deal in the final stages, Israel continued its attack on Gazans, with the IDF launching airstrikes in the region killing over 15 Palestinian civilians on Wednesday evening.
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How Will The Ceasefire Work?
The Israel-Gaza ceasefire is expected to happen in three stages, once the deal takes effect. Israel's security cabinet and government will approve the agreement before it can be implemented.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said the agreement would come into effect on Sunday should it be approved.
The first stage would last six weeks and see "a full and complete ceasefire", US President Joe Biden said as he confirmed a deal had been reached on Wednesday.
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"A number of hostages" held by Hamas, including women, the elderly, and the sick, would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden announced.
He did not specify how many hostages would be released during this first stage - but Qatar's Al Thani told a news conference earlier in the evening that it would be 33. Moreover, Biden said the ceasefire would persist "as long as the negotiations continue".
Main Elements Of Ceasefire Deal:
- A six-week initial ceasefire phase includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
- The deal requires 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the ceasefire, 50 of which will carry fuel, with 300 of the trucks allocated to the north.
- Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women (soldiers and civilians), children, and men over 50. Hamas will release female hostages and those under 19 first, followed by men over 50.
- Israel will release 30 Palestinian detainees for every civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian detainees for every Israeli female soldier Hamas releases.
- Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since October 7, 2023, by the end of the first phase. The total number of Palestinians released will depend on the number of hostages freed and could range between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian detainees, including men, women, and children.
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- Hamas will release the hostages over a six-week period, with at least three hostages released each week and the remainder of the 33 released before the end of the period. All living hostages will be released first, followed by the remains of deceased hostages.
- The implementation of the agreement will be guaranteed by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
- Negotiations for a second phase of the agreement will begin by the 16th day of phase one and are expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, a permanent ceasefire, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers.
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- A third phase is expected to include the return of all remaining dead bodies and the start of Gaza's reconstruction, supervised by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations.
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Israel-Hamas War: How It Started?
On October 7, 2023, hundreds of Hamas fighters launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, breaching the border fence and targeting communities, police stations, and army bases. Around 1,200 people were killed, and over 250 hostages were taken to Gaza. Hamas also fired thousands of rockets into Israel, with some exploding in the capital city of Tel Aviv.
In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation, starting with airstrikes and later initiating a ground invasion. Since then, Israel has carried out attacks across Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing innocent civilians. On the accusations of killing civilians and committing war crimes, Israel maintained that it was attacking Hamas leaders.
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Israel's offensive has caused widespread devastation in Gaza, leading to severe food shortages as aid struggles to reach those in need. According to Gaza's health ministry, over 46,700 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's attacks.