The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has reached its first phase, which is ending Saturday. This pause in fighting allowed for the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. The discussions for the next phase are still ongoing in Egypt, but there’s no guarantee about what will happen next.
The second phase, as described by former US President Joe Biden, involves the release of all remaining hostages, including male soldiers, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The third phase aims for a significant reconstruction of Gaza. Donald Trump mentioned that he would oversee this reconstruction without involving US troops or using taxpayer money. However, there’s still no news about when or if the second phase will start.
Experts suggest that while the ceasefire is likely to hold, the second phase isn’t expected to begin immediately. Max Rodendeck from the International Crisis Group noted that while we might not see phase two kick off right away, the ceasefire itself is probably safe for now.
What are the main goals for each side? Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is pushing to free more hostages and would prefer to extend the current phase of negotiations. As it stands, out of 251 hostages taken on October 7, 58 remain in Gaza, with 34 of them reportedly dead according to the Israeli military.
On the other hand, Hamas is not interested in extending the current phase. They have expressed readiness to swap all remaining hostages in one go, but this would fall under the second phase of the deal.
Another crucial part of the agreement is Israel’s planned withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor, a border area. If Israel does not begin this withdrawal as agreed, it would be considered a serious breach of the truce.
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Source linkreconstruction of Gaza,Palestinian prisoners,Israel Hamas negotiations,hostage release,Hamas future demands,Gaza ceasefire deal,Biden Trump ceasefire
