The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT), mediator Qatar announced Saturday, 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.
The overnight approval of the 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. The names of the first hostages to be freed were expected to be released later Saturday.
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 — and comes more than a year after the only other ceasefire achieved.
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 Saturday, and Gaza’s Health Ministry said 23 bodies had been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours. "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. Health officials said a couple and their two children, aged 2 and 7, were dead.
And sirens sounded across central and southern Israel, with the military saying it intercepted projectiles launched from Yemen. Iran-backed Houthi rebels there have stepped up attacks in recent weeks, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
According to the ceasefire plan approved by Israel’s Cabinet, the exchange will begin at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) Sunday. The plan says three living female hostages will be returned on Day 1, four on Day 7 and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks. During each exchange, Palestinian prisoners will be released by Israel after hostages have arrived safely.
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 during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Also during the ceasefire’s first phase, Israeli troops are to pull back into a buffer zone about a kilometer (0.6 miles) wide inside Gaza, along its borders with Israel. That will allow many displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, including in Gaza City and largely isolated and devastated northern Gaza. With most of Gaza’s population sheltering in massive, squalid tent camps, Palestinians are desperate to get back to their homes, even though many were destroyed or heavily damaged.
Gaza should also see a surge in food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid. Trucks were lined up Friday on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. On Saturday, two Egyptian government ministers arrived in the northern Sinai Peninsula to oversee preparations for delivering aid through the Rafah crossing as well as the Kerem Shalom crossing, and to receive the evacuation of wounded patients, Egypt’s health ministry said.
The ceasefire plan approved by Israel’s Cabinet says all trucks entering Gaza will be subject to Israeli inspections.
Conclusion:
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel marks a significant step toward ending the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between the two parties. The deal will allow for the release of hostages and prisoners, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the road to a lasting peace remains long and challenging.
FAQs:
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What is the duration of the first phase of the ceasefire?
The first phase will last 42 days. -
When will the exchange of hostages and prisoners begin?
The exchange will begin at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) Sunday. -
What will happen to Palestinian prisoners who were convicted of deadly attacks?
They will be exiled to Gaza or abroad for three years or permanently, and barred from returning to Israel or the West Bank. -
Will Israeli troops pull back from Gaza during the ceasefire?
Yes, Israeli troops will pull back into a buffer zone about a kilometer (0.6 miles) wide inside Gaza, along its borders with Israel.