Gaza ceasefire: What does the agreement say and how many hostages will be released? | World News

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has come into effect after 15 months of war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza and inflamed tensions in the Middle East.

The agreement will see fighting paused and the release of hostages taken during the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people, in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli jails being freed.

Follow live updates on the Gaza ceasefire

The multi-stage deal, brokered by mediators the United States, Qatar and Egypt, will also mean a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged territory.

Here’s what we know about the agreement.

Phase one

Some 94 of the roughly 250 people taken hostage on 7 October remain in Hamas custody in Gaza, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of those who were seized.

In the first stage of the ceasefire deal, 33 hostages are to be freed over the course of six weeks.

These include women (including female soldiers), children and men over the age of 50.

It was previously reported that Israel believes most of these hostages are alive.

At least three hostages will be released each week. The plan says three hostages will be returned on day one, four on day seven and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks.

In return for the release of the captives, Israel will free 737 Palestinian prisoners during the first phase.

Also to be released are 1,167 Palestinians detained in Gaza since the start of the war and held in Israel.

Israel has said 30 Palestinian prisoners would be released for each female hostage on Sunday.

Among the roughly 250 people abducted in Israel on 7 October, some have died in captivity in Gaza, while others have been released or rescued.

The first phase will also include Israeli troops pulling back into a buffer zone about 0.6 miles wide inside Gaza, along its borders with Israel.

That will allow many displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, including in Gaza City and the largely isolated and devastated northern Gaza.

Read more:
A timeline of events since the 7 October attack
The hostages who still haven’t returned home

The territory is expected to see a surge in food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid.

The deal requires 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the ceasefire, 50 of them carrying fuel, with 300 of the trucks allocated to the north.

The ceasefire plan approved by Israel’s cabinet says all trucks entering Gaza will be subject to Israeli inspections.

Phase two

Negotiations over a second phase of the agreement are to begin on the 16th day of phase one and are expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, including male Israeli soldiers, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Israel says it will not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas’s military and political capabilities are eliminated, ensuring it can no longer rule.

Hamas refuses to hand over the last Israeli hostages until Israel ends the war and removes all its troops.

Phase three

A third phase is expected to include the return of the bodies of the dead hostages and the beginning of Gaza’s reconstruction, a mammoth task that will be supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the UN.

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What will happen to Gaza in the future?

There is little detail about the future of Gaza – from how it will be governed, to any guarantees that this agreement will bring a permanent end to the war.

The international community has said Gaza must be run by Palestinians, but there has not been a consensus about how this should be done.

In the past, Israel has said it will not end the war leaving Hamas in power. It also previously rejected the possibility of the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited governing powers in the West Bank, from taking over the administration of Gaza.

Since the beginning of its military campaign in Gaza, Israel has also said it would retain security control over the territory after the fighting ends.