After a last minute crisis was solved, officials in Israel and the U.S., confirmed an agreement for acedase-fire and hostage release was reached. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will hold a press conference in the evening hours.
President-elect Donald Trump announced the deal on his Truth Social account. writing in all caps "WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!"
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Tel Aviv rally calling for release of hostage held in Gaza
(Photo: REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov)
The security cabinet will convene on Thursday morning to approve the deal to be followed by a meeting of the full government at the end of which the list of Palestinian prisoners that would be released from prisons in Israel, will be made public.
Accordint to a report on Reuters the first phase of the agreement will last for six weeks and include a gradual withdrawal of IDF troops from central Gaza and the return of displaced Gaza residents to the northern areas of the Strip. Hamas will release 33 hostages including all of the women, IDF soldiers among them, the two Bibas family children and men over the age of 50.
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The agreement as it was reported said Hamas would release hostages under the age of 19. then the men and the elderly and Israel would free 30 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for every hostage freed from captivity and 50 prisoners for every female soldier. Israel will also free all Palestinian women held in prison and children under the age of 19 and all those arrested since October 7 2023, in the first phase.
According to reports in recent days, the final number of Palestinian prisoners that would be freed, would depend on the condition of the hostages and will be between 990 and 1,650. Qatar, Egypt and the United States will guarantee compliance with the agreement.
Netotiations for the second phase of the agreement would begin on the 16th day of the first phase and would include the release of all remaining live hostages, including soldiers. then a permanenet cease-fire would come into effect and the IDF would withdraw all of its troops from Gaza. The third phase of the deal will include the release of the dead hostages and the begining of rebuilding in Gaza, under the supervision of Egypt Qatar and the United States.