Ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas brings joy on both sides

Under the deal, 33 hostages, ­including all surviving captive women, ­children andmen over the age of 50, will be freed in the coming seven weeks. In return, Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners at a ratio reported to be 30 for every civilian and 50 for each female soldier.

In a second phase of the ceasefire, the remaining hostages, thought to number between 30 and 40, are to be freed in exchange for more Palestinian ­prisoners as negotiations continue for the third phase.

The released Palestinians will include­ a number of people convicted of terrorist crimes, including murder, but also women and children, many of them arrested since the events of ­October 7, 2023, who have never been charged with a crime. 

The third stage is supposed to bring agreement on a reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the bodies of hostages who have died or been killed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The deal will mean at least a temporary end to Israel’s invasion and bombardment of Gaza, which has led to the deaths of an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Hamas fighters and tens of thousands of civilian men, women and children.

It was welcomed by the families of some of the hostages, who have become a powerful voice in Israeli society, often challenging the prime minister for his reluctance to strike a deal with Hamas. But they also expressed caution and fears that, if the deal breaks down, scores of their loved ones will be left in Hamas captivity.

Netanyahu will chair a cabinet ­meeting on Thursday morning at which the deal is expected to be ratified, in the face of opposition from his most hardline ­minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir and another minister, Bezalel Smotrich, both want the war to be ­resumed sooner or later until Hamas is eradicated.

 

 

 

 

Donald Trump, the US president-elect, claimed credit. He had demanded that the hostages be returned by the time he is inaugurated on Monday or, he said, “all hell would break out”. He had sent his choice of Middle East envoy, Steve ­Witkoff, to Qatar and Israel last Friday to put pressure on all sides, and particularly on Netanyahu.

“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signalled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. 

• Binjamin Netanyahu bows to pressure from Trump

President Biden said that the deal ­followed the “precise contours” of his peace proposal from May last year.