Gaza Breakthrough: First Phase Agreed
US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan. The basics are that all hostages will be immediately released and Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon lines as a first step toward a more permanent peace. This announcement comes two years after the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war.
Hamas stated that the agreement includes an end to hostilities, an Israeli troop withdrawal, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a prisoner-hostage exchange. Qatar, one of the mediators, said that all provisions and mechanisms for implementing the first phase have been agreed upon, while technical details will be announced later.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the development and will hold a cabinet meeting on Thursday to ratify the agreement. The final negotiations took place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with the involvement of a US envoy to help finalize the technical details. Trump also left open the possibility of a visit to the region in the near future.
In the initial phase of implementation, approximately 20 surviving hostages are expected to be released first, along with the repatriation of the remains of those who died in captivity. Israel is expected to release approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, coinciding with the start of a ceasefire and aid distribution. However, sensitive issues such as Hamas' disarmament and post-war governance of Gaza still require further negotiations to ensure a truly sustainable peace. (ASD)
Source: Newsmaker.id
