Ceasefire Agreement Between Israel and Hamas Announced
Details have emerged regarding a newly reached peace plan aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
On Thursday evening, the ceasefire agreement was officially ratified, granting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 24 hours to withdraw to specified lines of deployment. Although IDF will pull back, it will still maintain control over 53% of the Gaza Strip, with a focus on areas mostly outside urban centers.
These controlled areas include a buffer zone along the Gaza border, notably the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza boundary, as well as parts of northern Gaza, like Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. Other significant regions under IDF control include the ridge near the eastern outskirts of Gaza City and substantial sections of Rafah and Khan Younis in the southern part of Gaza.
Within 72 hours after the IDF’s withdrawal, Hamas is expected to start releasing hostages held since October 7, 2023. Reports indicate that out of the 48 hostages, about 20 are believed to still be alive, according to the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Donald Trump has stated that the hostages should be released by either Monday or Tuesday.
Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., commented on the urgency of returning all hostages within the 72-hour timeframe. “There are some glitches we have to address,” he noted, acknowledging concerns about Hamas’s ability to deliver all hostages, including those who may not have survived. “However, our priority is to have all the bodies returned before we can move forward,” he added.
Israeli officials have expressed that Hamas may not know the precise locations of all the deceased. The procedure for releasing the hostages remains somewhat unclear, but the IDF has prepared to handle the situation if Hamas decides to release all living hostages simultaneously.
Upon being freed, the living hostages will be handed over to representatives from the Red Cross. Unlike previous releases, there will be no public ceremony; Red Cross personnel will directly transfer the individuals to IDF troops waiting in Gaza.
The IDF has made provisions for escorting rescued hostages to Camp Re’im, a military facility near the Gaza border. Also, preparations have been finalized for addressing both living and deceased hostages since the announcement of the peace deal.
A military rabbi will conduct a memorial ceremony for those who were lost. After the ceremony, the civilian hostages’ remains will be sent to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for identification, a process that could take around two days, while fallen soldiers will be taken to the IDF’s Shura Camp for the same purpose.
In Israel, military service is compulsory, typically starting at age 18. Some of the individuals presumed dead fall within this age range.
