After more than fifteen months of a devastating war, during which more than 46,000 people died, the majority civilians, hope is reborn for the Palestinians. On Wednesday January 15, Qatar and the United States announced the conclusion of an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages.
If the “final details” of the agreement are still being finalized, according to a press release from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it was to come into force from this Sunday, January 19, on the eve of the inauguration of Donald Trump, according to the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdelrahmane Al-Thani. The latter also specified that “a monitoring mechanism will be established, managed by Egypt, Qatar and the United States” and will be “based in Cairo”.
After this announcement, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets and exulted across the Gaza Strip.
A first phase of 42 days
This agreement takes up the theoretical principles set out by Joe Biden at the end of Maywhich included three phases, but which eight months of diplomatic efforts had not made it possible until now. This agreement provides for three distinct phases.
The agreement provides for the release of 33 Israeli hostages (of the 94 people still captive) kidnapped during the October 7 attack by Hamas, “including civilian women, as well as children, the elderly, sick civilians and the wounded”, detailed the Qatari Prime Minister .
“In return, Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners“, indicated, for his part, Joe Biden, who clarified that the first phase will last 42 days and will include a “complete and total” ceasefire. Israel had previously said it would release around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first phase, Israeli and Palestinian sources reported Tuesday.
THE Israeli forces will withdraw towards the east, “away from populated areas“, details Mohammed ben Abdelrahmane Al-Thani. “These forces will be positioned along the Gaza Strip”, which will allow the exchange of prisoners, the exchange of bodies and the return of displaced people to their homes.
The next two phases discussed during the first
Humanitarian aid must increase during the first phasewhich should allow negotiations with a view to reaching the second and third phases, namely “a definitive end to the war”, added the US president, who specified thatIsrael will negotiate, during this period, the necessary arrangements to move to phase two.
The second phase should allow the release of the last hostages and a complete Israeli withdrawal from GazaJoe Biden further detailed. The third and final phase must be devoted to the reconstruction from the Gaza Strip and the restitution of bodies hostages killed during their captivity.
Israeli media reported that under the agreement, Israel would maintain a buffer zone in Gaza during the first phase. Israeli forces should remain present up to “800 meters deep in the Gaza Strip, in an area stretching from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanoun in the north,” according to a source close to Hamas.
Israel will not leave Gaza until all hostages are returnedthe living and the dead,” an Israeli official said before the deal was announced.
“When phase two begins, there will be an exchange for the release of the remaining hostages still aliveincluding male soldiers, and all remaining Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza. The temporary ceasefire will then become permanent,” said Joe Biden.
Previous negotiations have stumbled over several issues: the duration of a ceasefire, the extent of humanitarian aid authorized to enter Gaza, the logistics of returning displaced Palestinians, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and governance. of Gaza after the war. It is unclear whether compromises have been reached over these disagreements.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is strongly opposed to a total withdrawal of troops from Gaza and refuses that the territory be administered by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority at the end of the war.
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