Israel and Hamas have reached a truce in the Gaza Strip
The 2023 Gaza War: Israel vs. Hamas and a Comprehensive Palestinian-Hostage Agreement in the Balkans
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel from Gaza, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages into Gaza. Around 100 hostages were released in a similar deal between Israel and Hamas in late 2023, while others were rescued or found dead.
Around 240 Palestinians were released from Israeli jails as part of that deal. The war has killed over 50,000 Palestinians and most of them were women and children, according to Gaza health authorities. Over 400 Israeli soldiers have died in fighting in Gaza, according to the military.
Pressure to release relatives of remaining hostages will waned, as many families are not slated for release in the first phase. They are pushing for a comprehensive agreement that would end the war and get the release of all hostages.
Around a 100 hostages were released in a similar deal between Israel and Hamas in late 2023, while others were rescued or found dead. More than 200 Palestians were released from Israeli jails as part of the deal.
Large sections of the public in both Israel and Gaza are exhausted by the conflict and will welcome an agreement that promises a definitive end. Some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government are against the deal because they believe Hamas should be eradicated in order to prevent a repeat of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
A full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza will not occur until all hostages are released, according to the Israeli official, who says a further round of talks will start in 16 days.
The first Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are expected to be exchanged immediately after implementation begins. The two sides are also talking about arrangements to allow displaced Palestinians in the south of Gaza to return to their homes in the north.
The deal is likely to be challenged by the Supreme Court of Israel after it is signed, because it requires approval from the Israeli full Cabinet and government. So it may be days before the terms are implemented.
After weeks of intensive negotiations, a deal is close between Israel and Hamas. Representatives from both sides were in different rooms, as mediators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar passed along messages.
He did not give any information about the agreement. But an Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks, outlined some of the key provisions.
Majed Al Ansari, an advisor to the Qatari prime minister and Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told reporters in Doha, where the talks are being conducted, that an agreement was “not far away.” He added that the main obstacles have been overcome and the talks now are “about the final details.”
After more than fifteen months of fighting in their most devastating war ever, Israel and Hamas are extremely close to agreeing to a ceasefire, according to officials involved in the talks.
I have been told that a ceasefire has been announced in Gaza. Before we all celebrate, though, obviously we’re all going to want to see how well that executes,” Risch said.
