A diplomatic breakthrough that takes a full day to materialise marks the first break in the seven-week conflict in Gaza. It also provides some relief to Israeli families concerned about the whereabouts of loved ones kidnapped during Hamas’s deadly attack last month that ignited the conflict, as well as to the 2.3 million Palestinian residents of the territory who have been subjected to continuous Israeli bombardment.
There may have been a brief pause in hostilities when Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire agreement.
The deal became operative on Friday, one day later than anticipated, due to a last-minute hiccup. Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a four-day cease-fire. Palestine prisoners detained by Israel would be released as part of the deal.
The agreement was mediated by Egypt, the United States, and Qatar and was made public on Wednesday. It put an end to weeks of patchy indirect negotiations and created a tense window of time that could decide how the war plays out, which was sparked by Hamas’ raid on October 7.
There does not seem to be any conflict between the details of the agreement that Israel, Hamas, and Qatar have released.
What is stated in the deal?
As per the accord, Hamas stated that Israel had been holding 150 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 50 hostages that Qatar had declared free. Each side will contribute to the liberation of minors and women. The plan is for the hostages, who were among the 240 people abducted last month, to be released on a sporadic basis throughout the truce. After the first batch is released, it is expected that Israel will release the first group of Palestinian prisoners.
A list of eligible prisoners released by Israel’s Justice Ministry shows that many of the prisoners are teenage boys who were arrested in 2022 or 2023 during a violent wave in the West Bank and charged with offences like throwing stones or causing disturbances in public order. Approximately 7,000 Palestinians who have been found guilty of security offences or charged with them reside in Israel.
For every ten more hostages freed, Israel promised to extend the ceasefire by one day. Without offering any specifics, Qatar stated that Israel would permit increased fuel and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
As part of the agreement, hundreds of trucks carrying fuel and humanitarian aid are supposed to be permitted entry into Gaza each day, according to Hamas. Additionally, Hamas stated that supplies would finally reach northern Gaza, the target of Israel’s ground offensive.
The Israeli government statement made no mention of increased aid or fuel deliveries. According to Israeli Channel 12 TV, Israel will allow “significant” amounts of fuel and humanitarian supplies into Gaza as part of the agreement, but it did not specify how much. There were acute shortages of food, water, and fuel for generators because Israel severely restricted the amount of aid that could be sent into Gaza during the conflict, especially fuel.
Hamas claims that Israel will stop its warplanes from flying over the southern and northern Gaza regions for four and six hours, respectively. Grounding its aircraft was not mentioned by Israel, and it was not clear if this applied to the sophisticated intelligence drones that have been flying over Gaza nonstop.
Families will certainly be happy to see loved ones return, but a large number of hostages—including men, women, and elderly people as well as foreign nationals—are anticipated to be held by Hamas. It is likely that families with loved ones not covered by the current agreement will continue to put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make sure that a future agreement guarantees their release. The families receive good support, and because of their situation, Israelis have taken notice.
The agreement states that the International Committee of the Red Cross will visit the remaining hostages and administer any necessary medication, as Netanyahu said on Wednesday. Both the Red Cross and Hamas denied it.
It is unlikely that the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have escaped south and out of the combat zone will be able to return home, but while the cease-fire is in place, they will experience a brief period of calm. It is anticipated that Israel will continue to control Gaza’s northern area.
The fighting has been temporarily stopped by this cease-fire, but Israel is expected to resume its efforts to destroy Hamas and free the prisoners as soon as it expires. Netanyahu claimed that if the cease-fire is not maintained, the army will be better equipped to resist the escalation of hostilities.
Not only that, but a ceasefire would allow Hamas to regroup, reorganize militant positions, and organize after Israel claimed to have killed a significant number of fighters and destroyed a significant quantity of the group’s military equipment.
