Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a ceasefire and harassment. What do you look like?
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause their devastating war for four days in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages taken by militants on Oct. 7, when Israeli communities were overrun and some 240 people were kidnapped.
The agreement will provide the first relief to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 11,000 people have been killed, many women and children, according to health authorities. It can also provide a glimmer of hope for Tormented families Who were kidnapped weeks ago.
The deal, brokered by Qatar, the United States and Egypt, was announced as fighting intensified in the central neighborhoods of Gaza City. It culminates weeks of on-and-off indirect negotiations and sets the stage for a tense period that could determine the course of the war, which is already in its seventh week.
Israel, Hamas, and Qatar have published different details about the agreement, but these details do not appear to contradict each other.
What’s in the deal?
Qatar announced Wednesday That Hamas would release 50 hostages in exchange for what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Those released by both sides will be women and minors.
The hostages will be released in batches throughout the four-day ceasefire period. Once the first batch is released, Israel is expected to release the first group of Palestinian prisoners.
Among those released were several teenagers who had been detained during their detention A wave of violence in the West Bank in 2022 or 2023 and charges such as stone-throwing or disturbing public order, according to a list of eligible prisoners published by the Israeli Ministry of Justice on Wednesday. Israel currently detains approximately 7,000 Palestinians accused or convicted of security crimes.
Israel said the hoax would be extended by one day for every 10 additional hostages released.
Qatar said Israel would also allow more fuel and humanitarian aid into Gaza, but did not provide details.
Hamas said hundreds of trucks loaded with humanitarian aid and fuel would be allowed to enter Gaza daily as part of the agreement. Hamas said supplies would also reach northern Gaza, the center of the Israeli ground offensive, for the first time.
The Israeli government statement did not mention an increase in aid and fuel deliveries. Israeli Channel 12 TV reported that as part of the deal, Israel would allow a “large” amount of fuel and humanitarian supplies into Gaza, but did not specify the quantity. It has severely limited Israel Aid volumeDuring the war, entry into Gaza, especially fuel, was allowed, leading to severe shortages of water, food and fuel needed to run generators.
The fighting is expected to stop temporarily: Israeli aircraft and forces will stop firing, while militants are expected to refrain from firing missiles at Israel. Hamas said that Israeli warplanes would stop flying over southern Gaza during the four-day, six-hour-daily flight over northern Gaza. Israel did not mention halting flights, and it was not clear whether this would include advanced Israeli intelligence drones, which have had a permanent presence over Gaza.
What was left out?
While many families will be thrilled to have their loved ones back, a large number of hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including men, women, the elderly and foreign nationals. Families not included in the current deal will likely continue to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try to secure the release of their loved ones through a future deal.
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, according to the agreement, the International Committee of the Red Cross will visit the remaining hostages and provide them with the medicines they may need. Neither Hamas nor Israel confirmed these details.
While the ceasefire will give Palestinians in Gaza peace for a short period, the hundreds of thousands who fled the combat zone and headed south are not expected to be able to return. It is expected that Israeli forces will remain in their positions in northern Gaza and will not withdraw.
What are the potential ramifications of the deal?
The agreement offers only a short respite in the fighting. Israel, which destroyed Hamas and rescued prisoners from its war targets, is expected to pick up where it left off once the four days are up.
Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the ceasefire would allow the army to prepare for continued fighting and would not harm its war effort. Once the ceasefire ends, air strikes are likely to resume and forces will continue their incursion throughout northern Gaza before their expected incursion into the south at an unknown time. Gazans will have to prepare for the resumption of hostilities.
The deal also appears to support Hamas. A cessation of fighting would give it time to strategize, shift around militant positions and perhaps regroup after Israel claimed to have killed large numbers of Hamas fighters and destroyed many of the group’s military assets.
The intermittent nature of the deal also opens the door for Hamas to quickly increase its demands, assuming that Israel will make more concessions to release more hostages.
Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza and the alleged mastermind of the October 7 attack, could also try to turn the four-day cessation of fighting into a longer ceasefire by offering to release more hostages. A longer ceasefire would make it more difficult for Israel to resume the war, both operationally and in the eyes of world opinion.
The Israeli government will face increasing internal pressure to secure the release of more hostages. Families left out of the current deal will become more determined to see their loved ones liberated once they see the first groups leave families.
