SOURCE :- THE AGE NEWS
By Sam Magdy, Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick
Cairo: The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect on Sunday (5.30pm AEDT), mediator Qatar has announced, as families of hostages held in Gaza braced for news of loved ones, Palestinians prepared to receive freed detainees and humanitarian groups rushed to set up a surge of aid.
Among the hostages expected to be released is Kfir Babas, the youngest of those taken during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel in October 2023. The toddler’s family marked his second birthday on Saturday. Kfir has become a symbol across Israel for the helplessness over the hostages’ plight.
Demonstrators in Tel Aviv, Israel hold portraits of hostages Kfir Bibas, his parents Shiri and Yarden Bibas and brother Ariel, who are among those being held by Hamas.Credit: AP
In a national address 12 hours before the ceasefire was to start, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was treating the ceasefire as temporary and retained the right to continue fighting if necessary. He claimed he had the support of US President-elect Donald Trump, who told NBC News that he told Netanyahu to “keep doing what you have to do”.
Netanyahu also asserted that he negotiated the best deal possible, even as Israel’s far-right Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he and most of his party would resign from the government in opposition to it.
Netanyahu earlier warned that a ceasefire wouldn’t go forward unless Israel received the names of hostages to be released, as agreed. Israel had expected to receive the names from Qatar. There was no immediate response from Qatar or Hamas.
The overnight approval of the ceasefire deal by Israel’s cabinet, in a rare meeting during the Jewish Sabbath, set off a flurry of activity and a fresh wave of emotions as relatives wondered whether hostages would be returned alive or dead. Families and thousands of others rallied once more on Saturday night in Tel Aviv.
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu in 2017.Credit: AP
“Please keep going and saving lives,” said Anat Angrest, whose son Matan Angrest is still held in Gaza.
The pause in 15 months of war is a step toward ending the deadliest, most destructive fighting ever between Israel and the Hamas militant group. The deal was achieved under joint pressure from Trump and the President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration ahead of Monday’s inauguration.
The first phase of the ceasefire will last 42 days, and negotiations on the far more difficult second phase are meant to begin just over two weeks in. After those six weeks, Israel’s security cabinet will decide how to proceed.
Israeli airstrikes continued on Saturday, and Gaza’s Health Ministry said 23 bodies were taken to hospitals over the past 24 hours.
Demonstrators in Tel Aviv call for the immediate release of hostages being held by Hamas.Credit: AP
“What is this truce that kills us hours before it begins?” asked Abdallah Al-Aqad, the brother of a woman killed by an airstrike in the southern city of Khan Younis.
And sirens sounded across central and southern Israel, with the military saying it intercepted projectiles launched from Yemen.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have stepped up attacks in recent weeks, calling the move solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
When the fighting stops
In the ceasefire’s first phase, Israeli troops are to pull back into a buffer zone about a kilometre wide inside Gaza along its borders with Israel. With most of Gaza’s population in massive, squalid tent camps, Palestinians are desperate to get back to their homes, even though many were destroyed or heavily damaged.
In a post on X, Qatar’s foreign minister advised Palestinians and others to exercise caution when the ceasefire goes into effect and wait for directions from officials.
Israel’s military later said Palestinians would not be able to cross the Netzarim corridor that runs across central Gaza for the first seven days of the ceasefire, and it warned Palestinians not to approach Israeli forces.
Still, anticipation was high.
“The first thing I will do is go and check my house,” said Mohamed Mahdi, a father of two who was displaced from Gaza City’s Zaytoun neighbourhood. He also looked forward to seeing family in southern Gaza, but was “still concerned that one of us could be martyred before we are able to meet”.
Majida Abu Jarad said she had moved seven times with her husband and their six daughters during the war, heeding Israeli evacuation orders and staying in tents, abandoned classrooms or on the street.
“We will remain in a tent, but the difference is that the bleeding will stop, the fear will stop and we will sleep reassured,” she said while packing.
Freed hostages and prisoners
In the ceasefire’s first phase, 33 hostages in Gaza are to be released over six weeks in exchange for 737 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israel’s justice ministry has published a list of the prisoners, all younger or female. An organisation that represents victims of Palestinian attacks vowed to petition Israel’s Supreme Court to stop the release.
According to the ceasefire plan approved by Israel’s cabinet, the exchange will begin on Sunday afternoon local time (1am Monday AEDT). The plan says three living female hostages will be returned on the first day, four on day seven and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks.
During each exchange, Palestinian prisoners will be released by Israel after the hostages have arrived safely.
Also to be released are 1167 Gaza residents who were not involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war. All women and children under 19 from Gaza held by Israel will be freed during this phase.
All Palestinian prisoners who were convicted of deadly attacks will be exiled to Gaza or abroad – some for three years and others permanently – and barred from returning to Israel or the West Bank.
The remaining hostages in Gaza, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase to be negotiated in the coming weeks. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Hundreds of aid trucks a day
Gaza should also expect a surge in food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid.
Egypt’s foreign minister said the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world, would start operating soon. The crossing has been closed since Israel’s military took over the area in May. The minister said 600 trucks of aid, including 50 fuel trucks, should be entering Gaza daily during the ceasefire.
Palestinians on Wednesday celebrate the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.Credit: AP
The ceasefire plan approved by Israel’s cabinet says all trucks entering Gaza will be subject to Israeli inspections.
“It is clear that the situation in Gaza is still extremely complex and a lot of difficulties still remain for an effective distribution,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in 2023 killed 1200 people and about 250 people were taken hostage. Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza.
Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half the dead.
AP
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