Israel and Hamas reached an agreement Tuesday to release dozens of hostages held by the terror group in return for a temporary ceasefire and the release of more than 100 women and minors in Israeli custody.
The deal comes after nearly seven weeks of violence that erupted when more than 1,200 people in Israel were massacred on October 7, with around 240 others kidnapped by Hamas.
Since the terrorist attacks, Israel has waged an all-out war in Gaza through airstrikes and ground attacks, with the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority estimating the current death toll at more than 12,000.
While the deal will establish the first major ceasefire in the war and allow families to reunite with loved ones after weeks of suffering, it will not end the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
What’s in the deal?
The hostage deal will effectively see 50 women and children held in Gaza released to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and health officials, according to Qatari officials who helped manage the deal.
In return for each freed hostage, the Jewish state agreed to release three Palestinian women and minors held in Israeli prisons — a total of 150 people.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal for the terrorist group to release 50 hostages. Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
The hostages will be released during the four-day ceasefire, with Israel agreeing to extend the “humanitarian pause” by an extra day in exchange for 10 more hostages being released.
The deal will also see more humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and fuel, enter Gaza after all hospitals in the north were unable to operate.
The agreement and cease-fire are set to take effect on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time, or 3 a.m. EST.
A Palestinian child receives drinking water from a supply truck in Khan Younis on November 21, 2023. The ransom deal includes allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza.Xinhua/Shutterstock
Which hostages were released?
The list of women and children being released by Hamas has not yet been published.
Despite earlier reports that the freed hostages included only Israeli citizens, officials confirmed Tuesday that those with dual citizenships were included in the deal.
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President Biden announced Tuesday night that the deal “must bring home additional American hostages.”
US officials said they hoped Abigail Mor Idan, a 3-year-old American girl whose parents were killed on October 7, would be among the children included in the talks.
US officials hope Abigail Mor Idan, 3, is one of the hostages returned in the deal. Courtesy of the family Abigail’s parents were both killed in the October 7 terrorist attack. NBC News
How did the deal happen?
The breakthrough deal came together after weeks of negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, the US and Egypt. The talks were led by Qatar, which has previously worked with America to free hostages in the Middle East.
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Although Israel has long rejected a ceasefire until Hamas releases all its hostages, the Jewish state reached an agreement after an hours-long cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The deal eventually came down to a vote, with a majority of the Israeli leadership agreeing to the terms decided in the negotiations.
Netanyahu and his administration have faced increasing pressure to accept a deal from the hostages’ families, as well as from the world over reports of civilian casualties in Gaza.
Which hostages are free?
The deal between Israel and Hamas will see the first major release of hostages after Hamas previously released four on “humanitarian” grounds.
American hostages Judith Tai Raanan, 59, and her 18-year-old daughter, Natalie Raanan, from Illinois, were the first hostages to be freed last month after they were kidnapped from Nahal Oz on Oct. 7.
Yocheved Lifshitz, left, and Nurit Cooper were released by Hamas on Oct. 23. 2023.X/@MarioNawfal American hostage Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie returned to Israeli soil after being released by Hamas. GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL
The Chicago-area mother and daughter have returned to the US after being held by Hamas for 13 days.
After the release of America, Hamas also released Nurit Yitzhak and Yochved Lifshitz, two Israelis in their 80s.
What happens next?
Qatari officials said that the agreement between Israel and Hamas was the first step towards seeing all the hostages in Gaza released.
But despite the agreement for a multi-day ceasefire, Israeli officials say it is only a temporary lull in the war, which will continue.
The hostages will be released during the four-day ceasefire.ATEF SAFADI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“We are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals,” Netanyahu said in a recorded message at the start of a meeting to vote on the deal “To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel.”
Intelligence efforts will continue even during the break so that troops are ready when fighting resumes, he said.
What happens if Hamas or Israel don’t keep their end of the deal?
If both sides fail in the agreement, the war will resume in the Palestinian territories.
Hamas and the IDF have been fighting a bloody campaign focused on northern Gaza, where hospitals and refugees have been caught up in the fighting.
If the agreement fails, it will ultimately affect the evacuation and delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza and the more than 1.7 million people displaced by the violence.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
