In a significant development, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, accompanied by a hostage release deal.
The deal is expected to be signed in the coming hours and marks a critical step towards ending over 15 months of conflict in Gaza that began with the October 7, 2023, invasion by Hamas.
The deal, which involves the release of hostages held by Hamas, aims to facilitate a reduction in hostilities between the two sides.
The first phase of the deal will see the release of 33 hostages, including civilians and soldiers, with the first group expected to be freed on Sunday.
Over the course of 42 days, additional hostages will be released in batches, with a total of 33 hostages being freed by the end of the phase.
According to reports, the first hostages to be freed will be living individuals, followed by others in various stages based on criteria such as age and health. Notably, long-held hostages such as Ethiopian-born Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Israeli Hisham al-Sayad, who have been in captivity since 2014 and 2015 respectively, will also be part of the initial release.
In exchange for the hostages, Israel will release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including at least 250 individuals with serious criminal records.
The prisoners released will mostly be from Gaza, although no one who participated directly in the October 7 massacre will be freed.
The deal is expected to be formally approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet tomorrow, after which detailed lists of prisoners to be released will be published.
Legal challenges to some of the releases may be possible, but it is anticipated that the High Court will not intervene.
The announcement of the deal has brought celebrations to Gaza, where residents have gathered in the streets to celebrate the news.
Many have taken to social media to express hope for an end to the ongoing conflict and the return of hostages.
While the ceasefire and hostage release deal marks a promising development, the broader issues surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remain unresolved.
Both sides are expected to continue talks to further negotiate the terms of the ceasefire, and there are concerns about the future of the Philadelphi Corridor, a key border area between Gaza and Egypt, where tensions had earlier flared.
U.S. President-elect Trump has played a crucial role in brokering the deal, with his administration’s involvement helping to bring both parties to the negotiating table.
The deal, however, faces several challenges as both Israel and Hamas remain divided on various issues.
Yet, the successful negotiation of the deal is a step towards stability in the region, and there is cautious optimism that it could pave the way for further diplomatic efforts to resolve the larger conflict.
As the situation unfolds, the world watches closely to see if the agreement will hold and what its impact will be on the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
