Israeli government approves agreement with Hamas: Gaza ceasefire to take effect on 19 January
Pravda Ukraine
The Israeli cabinet has approved an agreement with the Palestinian Hamas terrorist group regarding a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Israeli government website; Reuters
Details: Late in the evening on Friday, 17 January, after a session lasting over six hours, the government ratified the agreement, which may pave the way for ending the 15-month-long war in the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas.
Quote: “The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages’ release will come into effect on Sunday [19 January 2025].”
Details: Under the agreement, the first stage will see the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, men over the age of 50 and the wounded. In addition, over 700 Palestinian prisoners will be released, including 275 individuals accused of killing Israelis. Furthermore, 1,000 Palestinians detained during the war but not involved in the 7 October attacks will also be released.
Furthermore, humanitarian assistance will be delivered to the Gaza Strip, including 600 lorries of supplies, 50 petrol tank trucks, 200,000 tents and 60,000 mobile homes for displaced persons.
The agreement stipulates that Qatar, Egypt and the United States will act as guarantors for its implementation.
Israel and Hamas will begin talks on the second stage of the agreement on the 16th day of the truce, which includes the release of the remaining hostages, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Background:
- An agreement between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group regarding the release of hostages held in Gaza and the initiation of a ceasefire was officially signed in Doha, Qatar, on 16 January.
- On 17 January, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that negotiation teams from Israel and Hamas had signed the agreement.
- A statement from Netanyahu’s office indicated that the prime minister convened a Security Cabinet meeting on Friday to vote on the deal.
- On 15 January, US President Joe Biden confirmed that a ceasefire and hostage release agreement had been reached between Hamas terrorists and Israel.
- On the morning of 16 January, the Israeli prime minister’s office reported that the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas had refused to support a number of ceasefire agreements in the Gaza Strip, thereby disrupting the hostage release process.
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