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Hamas and Israel have reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal following more than 15 months of bloodshed in Gaza. Here’s what we know so far:
Protesters in Tel Aviv calling for the return of hostages held in the Gaza Strip react after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached.Credit: Getty Images
How will the Gaza ceasefire deal work?
US President Joe Biden has confirmed it will be a three-phase deal, similar to one he put forward in May. Bear in mind, much can happen at each stage to impact the next.
Phase one will begin with a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, starting with women, the elderly and the wounded. Israel will also release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Details that emerged this week put the number of hostages at 33, but that has not yet been confirmed.
The release of the first 33 hostages, who include women and children as well as the sick, elderly and injured, will be staggered, according to international press reports. Three women will be released on the first day of the deal, followed by four the day after and the remainder of the next five weeks.
For each Israeli hostage returned in this phase, the country will have to hand over between 30 and 50 Palestinian prisoners, the press reports say.
Under the reported deal, Israeli forces in Gaza will withdraw from the south of the territory and gather in a central area.
Phase two is to begin in six weeks and it is hoped it will be “a permanent end to the war” – but if negotiations to that end take longer than six weeks, “the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue”.
Phase three: The last of the remains of hostages who have been killed will be returned to their families, and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin. About 100 Israeli hostages are believed to still be in captivity in Gaza, though it is not clear how many are alive.
Who negotiated and approved the deal?
Negotiators from the US, Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Hamas have been meeting on and off for months hosted by the prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in Doha to arrive at a ceasefire. Top envoys from the Biden administration have been at the table and US President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy joined the negotiations in the past few weeks.
It is understood Israel’s team at the final stages included the chiefs of its Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies.
What happens next?
The Qatar leader has called for calm in the Gaza Strip between now and January 19 when the ceasefire deal takes effect.
The deal will need approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet and then his full cabinet. Both are dominated by Netanyahu’s allies and are likely to approve any proposal he presents, though . Indications are that it could happen at any moment or within 24 hours.
A list of names for the trade of hostages and imprisoned Palestinians has not yet been officially released.
Much needed aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is expected to start to flow again.
The United States said it wants to see aid deliveries to Gaza after the ceasefire agreed reach more than 500 trucks a day. “We’re looking at a massive infusion of trucks. … It won’t happen overnight, but we want to get up to over 500 trucks a day,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
UN Secretary-General António said, “It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support.”
What has the reaction been?
Photographs from the ground in Gaza and Tel Aviv show people gathered rejoicing the news of the deal as it was announced. In Tel Aviv, protesters, who have for months been demanding their prime minister bring their hostage relatives and friends home, appeared to celebrate the moment, while in Gaza, crowds jumped for joy and waved flags.
Trump was the first to announce the deal on his Truth Social platform. Followed by the Qatari prime minister and Biden. A number of world leaders have joined the chorus of approval and cautious hope that the deal will come to fruition.
“Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families. For the Palestinian people, a credible, credible pathway to a state of their own. And for the region, a future of normalisation, integration of Israel and all its Arab neighbours, including Saudi Arabia,” Biden said.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden announces the ceasefire deal at the White House.Credit: Bloomberg
“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” Trump said. “With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven,” Trump said in a second post.
In a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office said he had spoken with both Trump and Biden to thank them for their role in negotiating the deal.
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong heralded the development as a constructive step towards peace and stability in the troubled region. “It must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people,” they said.
“We hope it will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance, and pursue self-determination. There must be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security.”
Guterres said, “The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability, and Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi welcomed the deal on post on X, and stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
What happens if the war resumes after a deal is struck?
We’ve been here before. Ceasefires are routinely broken, but also held if the transgressions aren’t existential to the deal (the currently Israeli ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, is an example).
Biden said negotiations would continue during the six weeks that will ideally take to sign off on the final phase of the deal, and that the ceasefire will continue during these negotiations.
The deal does not start until January 19. This gives the sides time to get organised, but also leaves the field open for military strikes.
With AP, Reuters
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