The long awaited ceasefire and release of hostagesThe agreement between Hamas and Israel will enter into force within 24 hours, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
Qatar’s Foreign Minister Majid al-Ansari posted on He advised people to exercise caution when the agreement comes into effect and wait for directions from officials.
The Israeli military confirmed the start time and said it was preparing to implement “operational procedures in the field in accordance with established agreements.”
Tsafrir Abajov / AP
“The IDF has prepared to receive the hostages upon their release from Hamas captivity and is in the process of providing appropriate physical and psychological support, with careful attention to every detail,” it said in a statement on Saturday. “In addition to the agreement and our commitment to bringing all hostages home, the IDF will continue to operate to ensure the safety of all Israeli citizens, especially those in communities near the Gaza Strip.”
Early Saturday morning local time, The Israeli cabinet has approved the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which would free dozens of hostages and end the 15-month war with Hamas. The deal brings the two parties one step closer to ending their relationship deadliest and most destructive battles ever.
How the ceasefire and hostage agreement work
According to a translated draft of the agreement viewed by CBS News, and as described by President Biden, the deal consists of three phases, each lasting 42 days.
Hamas would begin releasing hostages on the first day, initially sending three back to Israel, according to the draft reported by CBS News. On the seventh day, Hamas would release four hostages. Thereafter, Hamas would release three hostages taken from Israel every seven days, starting with the living and then returning the bodies of those who died.
It would release a total of 33 hostages of women and children during the first phase, as well as hostages over the age of 50, according to the draft, reported by CBS News.
Maya Alleruzzo / AP
Mr. Biden said on Wednesday that Americans would be among the hostages released in this phase, but he did not provide names or how quickly they would be released.
The rest of the hostages, including male soldiers, will be released in a second phase to be negotiated during the first phase. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining prisoners without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Under the plan, approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners will be released during the first phase in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages, both living and dead. The detainees include 1,167 Gaza residents who were held by Israel but were not involved in the October 7, 2023 attack. All Gaza women and children under the age of 19 held by Israel will be released during this phase.
According to the ceasefire plan, approved by the Cabinet and signed by Israel’s national security adviser, the exchange will begin at 9 a.m. EST on Sunday. During each exchange, prisoners are released by Israel after the hostages arrive safely.
The rocket attacks continue while help is on its way
Despite news of the ceasefire, sirens sounded across central Israel on Saturday, with the army saying it had intercepted projectiles launched from Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up their missile attacks in recent weeks. The group says the attacks are part of its campaign aimed at pressuring Israel and the West over the war in Gaza.
There were also continued Israeli attacks on Gaza. The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 23 people had been killed in the past day.
During the first phase, Israeli troops must also withdraw to a buffer zone about a kilometer wide within Gaza, along the borders with Israel.
Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu via Getty Images
This allows displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, including in Gaza City and northern Gaza. With most of Gaza’s population displaced into huge, squalid tent camps, Palestinians are desperate to find their homes, even as many have been destroyed or badly damaged by Israel’s campaign.
The largely devastated area should also see an increase humanitarian aid. Trucks carrying aid were lined up on Friday on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing into Gaza.
Two Egyptian ministers arrived in the northern Sinai Peninsula on Saturday to oversee relief preparations and arrange the evacuation of injured patients, the Health Ministry said.
Hamas started the war on October 7, 2023A cross-border attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and captured about 250 others. There are still almost a hundred hostages in Gaza.
Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. They make no distinction between civilians and militants, but say women and children make up more than half of the deaths.