CAIRO — The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel is set to commence within a day, as announced by Qatar’s foreign ministry on Saturday.
In a statement on social media platform X, Qatar’s foreign minister, Majid al-Ansari, indicated the ceasefire would begin at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) on Sunday, urging people to remain cautious and await guidance from officials.
On the same morning, Israel’s Cabinet endorsed the ceasefire plan for Gaza, which aims to facilitate the release of numerous hostages and temporarily halt the ongoing conflict with Hamas that has spanned 15 months. This decision represents a pivotal move towards potentially ending one of the most severe and destructive conflicts witnessed between the two parties.
Nonetheless, despite the ceasefire announcement, alarm sirens were triggered throughout central Israel, with the military announcing that it intercepted weapons launched from Yemen. In recent weeks, the Iran-affiliated Houthi group has intensified its missile attacks, claiming these actions are part of their effort to exert pressure on both Israel and Western nations regarding the situation in Gaza.
Continued Israeli airstrikes were reported in Gaza, with the Palestinian Health Ministry documenting at least 23 deaths in the preceding day.
As outlined in the initial phase of the ceasefire, 33 hostages are planned for release over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian individuals currently detained by Israel. The return of other captives, including male soldiers, will be discussed for a second phase during the current negotiations. Hamas has maintained that the remaining hostages will not be freed without a sustainable ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The ceasefire framework, which has received Cabinet approval and is signed by Israel’s national security adviser, stipulates that the exchanges will commence on Sunday at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT). In each exchange, Israeli authorities will release prisoners following the safe arrival of the hostages.
Throughout the first phase, it is expected that around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange for the 33 Israeli hostages, some of whom may be deceased. Among those released will be 1,167 individuals from Gaza, who were detained by Israel and were not participants in the events of October 7. Furthermore, all women and children under the age of 19 from Gaza currently in Israeli custody will also be released during this initial phase.
Additionally, Palestinian prisoners convicted of lethal attacks will face exile, either to Gaza or abroad, and will be prohibited from returning to Israel or the West Bank. The duration of exile will vary, with some being exiled for three years, while others may face permanent exile, according to the aforementioned framework.
Several critical uncertainties remain concerning the ceasefire, particularly the identities of the 33 hostages slated for release and the status of those who are still alive.
Hamas has committed to liberating three female hostages on the first day, followed by four on the seventh day, and the remaining 26 will be freed over the course of the next five weeks.
Palestinian detainees are also included in the release plan. Israel’s justice ministry has disclosed a list exceeding 700 individuals scheduled for release in this initial phase, emphasizing that those listed will be primarily younger individuals or females.
In addition, during the first phase, Israeli forces are expected to withdraw to a designated buffer zone approximately one kilometer (0.6 miles) wide within Gaza, adjacent to its borders with Israel.
This maneuver is intended to facilitate the return of displaced Palestinians to their original homes, notably in areas like Gaza City and northern Gaza. The ongoing conflict has forced a significant portion of Gaza’s population into overcrowded and unsanitary tent camps, creating a pressing desire among the displaced to return home, even if many residences have been significantly damaged or destroyed in Israel’s military campaign.
The ravaged territory is also set to receive an influx of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian aid trucks were seen lining up on Friday at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing to Gaza. Furthermore, two Egyptian government ministers have arrived in the northern Sinai Peninsula to oversee aid delivery preparations and manage the evacuation of injured patients, as reported by the health authorities.
The conflict was ignited by Hamas’s cross-border attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 casualties and approximately 250 individuals taken captive. Nearly 100 hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza.
Israel’s response has been a major military offensive that, according to local health officials, has resulted in the deaths of over 46,000 Palestinians. These figures do not differentiate between civilians and militants, although it is estimated that women and children comprise more than half of those killed.
