Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to pause the ongoing war in Gaza, with provisions for the release of Israeli hostages held in the enclave and Palestinians detained in Israeli custody.
The deal, which will unfold in three phases, is scheduled to begin on Sunday, as announced by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during a press conference in Doha. While some aspects of the deal remain unclear, it has yet to be officially approved by the Israeli cabinet, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he will not comment further until all details are confirmed.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed hope that the talks would extend beyond a temporary ceasefire, moving into a second phase aimed at achieving “a permanent end to the war.” European leaders have shown optimism that the agreement could pave the way for lasting peace. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for the deal to be fully implemented, stating that it “opens the door to a permanent end to the war and the improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the deal as “long-overdue” and emphasized the need for a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
International aid agencies have welcomed the development and pledged to expand their operations in Gaza. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees called for “rapid, unhindered, and uninterrupted humanitarian access” to address the severe suffering caused by the conflict.
According to the terms of the deal, Israel will pull its forces eastward from densely populated areas in Gaza. In exchange, Hamas will release 33 hostages and Israel will free 100 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, as outlined in a portion of the deal provided by Hamas. Additionally, Israel will release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who were not involved in the October 7 attacks, and an unspecified number of Palestinian detainees will be freed abroad or in Gaza.
