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Cease-fire: How the agreement between Israel and Hamas will change the situation in the Middle East
Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement have reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. This should put an end to fighting that began more than a year ago. The agreement was the result of months of negotiations mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt. While the deal is hopeful, there are concerns that it does not resolve the deep divisions between the warring parties. Nevertheless, the truce, which will come into force on January 19, gives a chance to start a new era of Palestinian-Israeli settlement. What points the agreement contains - in the material of "Izvestia".
Why does the current deal on Gaza inspire hope?
The long-awaited ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas was reached on January 16. Thus, the armed conflict that lasted for more than 15 months, which began on October 7, 2023 with the radicals' attack on Israel, should now come to an end.
Recall, as a result of the attack of the Palestinian movement killed about 1.2 thousand people, another 251 were taken hostage. Israeli retaliatory actions in Gaza led, according to the local Ministry of Health, to the death of more than 45.6 thousand people, injured more than 108 thousand.
The deal was announced by Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani. According to him, the ceasefire agreements will be implemented on January 19.
By the way, this is not the first truce concluded since the beginning of hostilities in Gaza. In November 2023, Israel approved a deal for a humanitarian pause in the Strip and the release of hostages captured by Hamas. However, the truce then collapsed due to the parties' failure to fulfill their obligations.
- The current version of the Gaza deal is stronger than the one previously promoted by the Biden administration, in part because the deal is largely tied to Trump's personal credibility and influence with the Israeli establishment. "Given the fact that Israel will interact with the Trump administration in the coming years, it is not favorable to quarrel with the new US leadership," orientalist Leonid Tsukanov told Izvestia.
In his opinion, the request for an end to the conflict has matured on the part of both Israel and Palestine - despite the great dissatisfaction of part of the elites with mutual concessions on both sides.
"The ceasefire agreement was the result of the legendary resilience of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months," the movement's statement read. Hamas also expressed special thanks to the mediators for their efforts to reach an agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, meanwhile, said there were still several unresolved points in the deal.
"We hope that the details will be agreed upon this night," the prime minister's office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the IDF officially announced that it has begun preparations to receive hostages from the Gaza Strip, an operation dubbed "Wings of Freedom."
Details of the agreement to release hostages from Gaza
The first phase of the deal calls for a six-week ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from central Gaza and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Al Araby Al Jadeed newspaper sources said that the hostages' release will begin three days after the ceasefire takes effect.
At this stage, 33 captives in Gaza are to be released, including all women, children and men over the age of 50.
According to the draft agreement available to "RIA Novosti", Israel will release 1,000 prisoners detained after the escalation in Gaza and did not take part in the attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023.
- "The US has given guarantees to Hamas and other Palestinian groups, they have been assured that members of the leadership will not be persecuted inside or outside Palestine, but they will not be represented in the future political order," Palestinian security expert Mohammed Al-Masri told Izvestia.
Negotiations on the implementation of the second phase will begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. It is expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, the establishment of a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops, including from the Netzarim corridor dividing Gaza into two parts.
Israeli media also reported that the IDF is planning a phased withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor - on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Netanyahu's office has already said these reports are untrue.
The third phase will focus on returning the bodies of dead captives and beginning the reconstruction of Gaza under the leadership of Egypt, Qatar and the UN.
U.S. President Joe Biden noted that if the negotiations on the end of hostilities will drag on longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will still remain in place.
Recall, a total of 99 hostages remain in the exclave now, including those who are considered dead. Among the captives are two citizens of the Russian Federation - Alexander Trufanov and Maxim Kharkin. The Hamas leadership earlier said it was ready to release them first as a gesture of respect to Russia if a deal was struck.
- It is too early to put an end to the conflict. Israel has not achieved its goals in Gaza, although it has invested a lot of resources in Operation Iron Swords, and has not been able to defeat Hamas completely," said Leonid Tsukanov.
For its part, the Palestinian movement has received a difficult economic situation and great public tension, as well as an unsatisfied demand for revenge against Israel for the military operation in the enclave and a huge number of casualties among local residents, the expert notes.
- In fact, the sides will continue sporadic clashes, but in the near future they will try not to start a new major conflict until more effective conditions appear. It is much more likely that the asymmetric struggle will continue not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank and partially in Israeli cities," Leonid Tsukanov summarized in a conversation with Izvestia.
Meanwhile, celebrations have begun in the southern regions of Gaza after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement. War-weary people filled the streets, chanting slogans.
"This is the best day, this is a great victory and this is the day of victory," says a Palestinian in one of the videos on social media.
"For 15 months we lived under these conditions and we no longer believed that a truce was even possible. Thank God the agreement was signed. We will rebuild Gaza. I don't have words to express my joy," another local resident exulted.
The people of Tel Aviv also came out in spontaneous demonstrations. They are rejoicing at the imminent return of the hostages.
Meanwhile, trucks carrying humanitarian aid in Egypt have already moved toward the Gaza border, and preparations have begun on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing for the border crossing after the agreement enters into force.
