Israel and Hamas reach agreement on ceasefire and release of hostages

After intense negotiations mediated by Qatar, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement, which includes the release of hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The news was confirmed this Wednesday (15) by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The agreement comes 15 months after the conflict began in October 2023, which resulted in Hamas capturing 251 hostages. Of these, 94 remain in Gaza; 60 are believed to be alive.

The start date was set for the 19th, next Sunday, according to a senior official from one of the mediating countries and two senior Israeli authorities. The deal needs to be formally ratified by the Israeli cabinet, according to officials. There are also technical details that need to be worked out. Two other officials said there was a last-minute dispute over the Egypt-Gaza border, which is currently controlled by Israeli forces.

Netanyahu’s cabinet is expected to vote on the agreement this Thursday (16), under opposing pressure from the government’s ultra-right. The first phase of hostage releases is expected to begin on Sunday, while negotiations for a second round, including the release of men of military age, are expected to take place after 16 days.

To implement the agreement, Hamas’ negotiating team at the talks in Doha, Qatar, needs to obtain the consent of the group’s commanders in Gaza, including Muhammad Sinwar, whose brother Yahya led the group before he was killed by Israel in October.

The terms of the agreement

Although final details are still under negotiation, key clauses include:

1. Hostage release: Hamas will release 33 hostages, including women, children, elderly and injured, in exchange for Israel’s release of around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
2. Initial six-week ceasefire: A period of truce will allow the entry of 600 trucks daily with humanitarian aid, including food, medicine and fuel.
3. Withdrawal of Israeli troops: Israel will begin to withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, maintaining a security zone to the east of the Strip.
4. Reopening of Rafah crossing: The border between Gaza and Egypt will gradually reopen to unarmed civilians and humanitarian aid.

Humanitarian impacts

The agreement promises to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where 2 million people face displacement, food shortages and the collapse of basic services. With the shipment of fuel, hospitals will be able to resume operations and water and sewage systems will be repaired.

The news was met with celebrations in the streets of Gaza and Israeli cities. However, both Hamas and the Israeli government highlighted that important issues, such as the future governance of Gaza, still need to be negotiated.

UN humanitarian organizations are already mobilizing to implement the aid plan, while diplomats say the agreement represents a crucial, but fragile, step towards resolving the conflict.

With 45,000 dead since October 2023, the hope is that the ceasefire marks the beginning of a path to lasting peace, despite Israel’s intransigence. The deal on the table comes after months of back-and-forth diplomacy failed to end the war in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Some 105 captives were later released in a week-long ceasefire in November 2023 in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.