Jerusalem: The long-awaited ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas officially began on Sunday, January 19, with the first phase of the truce aiming to pause the 15-month war in Gaza. The deal, which was approved by Israel’s Cabinet despite opposition from far-right members, marks a significant step towards ending one of the deadliest conflicts in recent history.
The agreement was mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, and it comes after months of tense negotiations. The deal is focused on securing the release of 33 hostages held by Hamas and the freeing of 737 Palestinian prisoners in exchange, a gesture intended to foster goodwill and ease tensions. The hostages will include civilians, children, elderly people, and the wounded, according to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani.
In a key development, sources close to Hamas confirmed that three Israeli women soldiers would be the first to be released on Sunday evening, marking the start of the prisoner swap. The exchange will occur at designated points near the Gaza-Israel border, where medical teams will be on hand to assess the hostages’ health before they are transferred to hospitals in Israel.
The first phase of the ceasefire will last for 42 days, during which Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from several densely populated areas within Gaza. However, the withdrawal will not be complete, as Israeli forces will maintain a buffer zone up to 800 meters inside Gaza’s southern and northern regions.
During this period, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes via electronic checkpoints, but no one will be permitted to return to areas where Israeli troops remain stationed.
Discussions for the second phase of the ceasefire are set to begin in the 16th day of the current phase, with the goal of bringing about a permanent end to the conflict and securing the release of all remaining hostages.
