American President Donald Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a first phase of their peace plan generated a worldwide outcry on Wednesday night (8), after months of failed negotiations for a ceasefire. However, not all details about this agreement have been made public or have been resolved to date.
See what we know about the first phase of the ceasefire
Some important processes in this first phase, such as the approval of the agreement by the Israeli government, are still pending. The Security Council is expected to meet on Thursday night to approve the document.
A senior Hamas representative told AFP that Israel must release about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 convicted of terrorism, in exchange for all remaining hostages in captivity – about 48 (only 20 are believed to be alive).
The Saudi channel Al-Hadath reported this Thursday (9) that the 72-hour countdown established in the plan will begin after the Israeli military present in the enclave heads to the lines established by the negotiators. According to the newspaper Times of IsraelIsrael will remain in control of 53% of Gaza until all hostages are handed over.
However, according to the American press, this issue has not yet been fully agreed between Israel and Hamas. Trump’s plan called for Israeli forces to retreat to a line that would be marked in yellow on the map. Hamas requested the precise demarcation of that line, seeking the military’s exit from 70% of Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages, Arab mediators said.
On the other hand, Israel rejects the proportion required by the terrorist group, defending military withdrawal from a smaller area. Despite this divergence, the Israeli Army announced this Thursday morning that it had begun preparations to move in accordance with what was established by the parties.
In an interview with Fox Newson Wednesday night, Trump reported that all hostages should be released from the enclave on Monday (13). The question that remains unanswered is whether Hamas will be able to meet this deadline, as it has already stated in other occasions that it has lost control over the location of the victims and suggested that some may not be found. The group asked for at least 10 days to locate the bodies of the dead hostages, according to sources close to the negotiations. Wall Street Journal.
With the repositioning of Israeli troops in the enclave, Hamas must hand over all live hostages to Israel. Once they all return, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinians who are in Israeli prisons and 1,700 Palestinians who were detained in Gaza during the conflict.
This list is still being defined by Israeli authorities. Parliament will meet this Thursday to approve the release of Palestinian prisoners.
According to the JournalHamas has been pushing to release as many high-profile prisoners as possible, including Marwan Barghouti, a terrorist involved in the Palestinian uprising of the early 2000s.
Following Trump’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement “a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the state of Israel.” Despite the declaration, members of his government still showed some resistance to accepting the plan, something that should be clarified after this afternoon’s vote.
However, it is expected that both the ceasefire agreement and the release of prisoners will be approved with a large margin of votes, even with the rejection of some ministers. According to the AP, after the release of the list, victims of the attacks carried out by terrorists will have 24 hours to ask the Israeli Supreme Court to suspend their releases, if they object.
According to Amichai Cohen, a senior researcher at the Israel Democracy think tank in Jerusalem and an expert on national security law, despite the appeals, the Supreme Court has never intervened to block the release of a prisoner under previous agreements.
In contact with Egyptian authorities and other people involved with the agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported that mediators are still discussing arrangements for Hamas to return the approximately 20 live hostages held for two years in Gaza, as well as the bodies of around 28.
Another issue established in this first phase is the entry of aid into Gaza. The Rafah crossing through Egypt will be opened after the ceasefire comes into force to facilitate the delivery of aid and allow Palestinians in and out.
Next steps
Despite the approval of a first phase of the peace plan, the most critical points in the negotiations still lack consensus, such as the transitional government that will take over the administration of the enclave, the disarmament of Hamas and the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, reiterated this Thursday to the broadcaster Al-Arabby that the group and allied Palestinian factions do not accept a transitional government in Gaza managed by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
“All factions, including the Palestinian Authority, do not accept this. Nobody accepts the return to colonialism,” Hamdan said.
He also reported that the group insisted on the participation of the UN and other international organizations in the administration of humanitarian aid. “These organizations have a good reputation for dealing with people and do not need to bring in mercenaries and retired soldiers to open fire on the Palestinian people,” he said. During the war, Israel presented numerous evidence of links between the UN aid agency in Gaza and the October 7 terrorists.
Trump is considering a trip to the Middle East to sign a ceasefire between the parties, and hopes this week’s successful negotiations will pave the way for a long-term agreement that will involve negotiations on the disarmament of Hamas and the formation of an interim government to oversee Gaza. This stage is considered the most challenging of the Republican’s 20-point plan.
