New York: Thousands of Gazans celebrated as news spread of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas, aimed at ending over 15 months of conflict in the Palestinian territory. People gathered in central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah and other areas, hugging and taking photos to mark the announcement on Wednesday evening.
Earlier, on Wednesday evening, Israel and Hamas reached a tentative agreement to pause fighting in Gaza and begin the phased release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, sources confirmed. The deal is set to begin on Sunday, with Hamas expected to release 33 hostages in the first phase. At the same time, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed from Israeli jails.
This release marks the first phase of the agreement, with negotiations for the second phase—focused on ending the war—scheduled to begin on the 16th day after the deal’s implementation. If all goes well, the deal would provide a rare respite for Gaza’s residents, marking only the second break since the Israeli bombardment began. It could allow civilians to return to northern Gaza and bring significant humanitarian aid to the area, where conditions have been dire.
About The Deal
As part of the deal, Israel’s military would begin withdrawing from civilian areas, though it would retain a presence along the Gaza-Egypt border, specifically in the Philadelphi Corridor. Israel would also establish a buffer zone along its own border with Gaza, a key point of negotiation. The agreement includes a substantial rise in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The first phase would see the release of 5 Israeli female soldiers held by Hamas, with each exchanged for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 militants serving life sentences. Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis would not be sent to the West Bank but would instead be released either to Gaza or abroad in agreements with other countries. Hamas and its allies still hold 94 hostages taken on Oct 7, 2023, with 34 confirmed dead, though the actual number may be higher. Hamas retains 4 hostages captured in 2014, at least 2 of whom have also died.
