The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel has begun following 15-months of conflict since the October 7 attack on Israel.
The deal starts with an initial six-week ceasefire phase where Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from Gaza, hostages held by Hamas will be released and Palestinian detainees will be released too.
Ceasefire talks were momentarily interrupted by a last-minute dispute as Israel accused Hamas of trying to change previously agreed understandings over security arrangements along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
However, on Janurary 15, Qatari officials, who brokered the deal, and Hamas announced the issue had been resolved.
Over the next six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages captured by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, will be reunited with their loved ones after months in terrifying captivity. Sky News reported about half of the 98 are believed to still be alive. Last night, the names of the remaining hostages were released ahead of the deal.
After the hostage release today, lead US negotiator Brett McGurk said the accord calls for four more female hostages to be freed after seven days, followed by the release of three further hostages every seven days thereafter, Reuters reports.
According to Egypt, Israel will release 1,890 Palestinian’s during this time too. This includes 737 male, female and teen-aged prisoners, some of whom are members of militant groups convicted of attacks that killed dozens of Israelis.
From today, Israel will allow Hamas policement to operate in Gaza, according to the BBC. They will also be allowed to to wear their official blue uniforms and will manage the movement of displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza to the north.
The broadcaster has said Qatar and Egypt with mediate between the two groups in order to prevent any further conflict.
Prior to the ceasefire yesterday, Israel reported two Houthi missile attack. Israel’s army said it intercepted a projectile from the Yemen-based militants, with sirens sounding across central Israel.
