A ceasefire agreement endorsed by Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday after a brief delay.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, attributed the holdup to Hamas failing to provide a list of hostages slated for release under the terms of the deal.
This truce represents the first cessation of hostilities in Gaza in over 15 months.
It aims to facilitate the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody. Initially scheduled to start earlier, the ceasefire was delayed by three hours.
Hamas attributed the delay to unspecified “technical field reasons,” while Netanyahu’s office later confirmed receipt of the list of hostages, which was under review.
The exchange is set to begin with the release of three Israeli hostages on Sunday, alongside approximately 100 Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli cabinet had approved the agreement in a vote late Friday.
During the delay, Israeli military strikes in Gaza reportedly killed 13 Palestinians, according to Hamas’ civil defense agency.
Phased Implementation of the Deal
The agreement will unfold in three phases. The first phase, lasting six weeks, includes the release of 33 hostages in small groups, with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed in return.
During this stage, Israeli forces are to withdraw from Gaza’s populated areas.
Negotiations for the second phase, involving additional exchanges and an end to the war, are expected to start in February, 16 days after the initial stage begins.
The final phase involves Gaza’s reconstruction and the return of deceased hostages, a process anticipated to take years.
Details on the Hostages
Hamas announced it would release three women; Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher. Israel has yet to confirm their release.
Gonen, 23, was abducted from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. In a phone call to her mother, she said, “They shot me, Mom, and I’m bleeding. Everyone in the car is bleeding.”
Damari, 28, was taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza near Gaza’s border. A dual Israeli-British citizen, she was reportedly injured during the abduction.
Steinbrecher, a 31-year-old veterinary nurse, sent a voice message to friends on the day of her capture: “They’ve arrived, they have me,” according to her family.
Palestinian Prisoners in the Exchange
Under the deal, Israel will release over 730 prisoners from the West Bank and more than 1,100 from Gaza. Many of these detainees, characterized by Israel as terrorists, are regarded by Palestinians as freedom fighters unjustly imprisoned for opposing Israeli rule.
Israel’s Justice Ministry shared a list of 95 prisoners eligible for the initial swap, with many being women detained after the October 7 Hamas attack.
Currently, about 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, with charges ranging from stone-throwing to severe offenses such as attempted murder. Some have not been charged at all.
American Hostages
Hamas is holding seven dual Israeli-American hostages. Civilians Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and Keith Siegel, 64, are expected to be among the first Americans freed, while Edan Alexander, 21, may be released in a later phase.
Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, expressed his hopes, “I just want to hug him. I hope he will say, ‘You know what? It wasn’t so bad, guys. I’m good.’”
Background and Global Efforts
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has devastated Gaza, with nearly 47,000 Palestinians reported dead, according to Gaza health authorities.
President Joe Biden credited months of diplomacy, supported by mediators in Qatar and Egypt, for the ceasefire. President-elect Donald Trump also claimed a role in the agreement. If the truce holds, it could pave the way for an end to the war.
