Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a ceasefire in Gaza lasting at least four days, allowing aid to flow in and the release of at least 50 hostages captured by militants in exchange for at least 150 Palestinians living in Israel to be imprisoned.
The first ceasefire in a brutal nearly seven-week war, brokered by Qatar, was hailed around the world as a sign of progress that could ease the suffering of Gaza’s citizens and bring more Israeli hostages home can bring. Israel said the ceasefire could be extended further as long as more hostages are released.
Hamas and allied groups captured about 240 hostages when gunmen rampaged through southern Israeli cities on October 7. Previously, Hamas had released only four.
The official start time for the ceasefire is expected to be announced within 24 hours, with the first hostages released on Thursday.
A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said 50 women and children would be released for four days, at a rate of at least 10 per day. In addition, the ceasefire could be extended as long as ten additional hostages were released per day.
There was no mention of the release of Palestinian prisoners, but the Israeli Ministry of Justice published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners who could be released.
“The Israeli government is committed to returning all hostages home. Tonight, it approved the proposed deal as a first phase to achieve this goal,” the government statement said.
Hamas said the first 50 hostages would be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons. Hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, medical and fuel supplies would enter Gaza, while Israel would halt all air flights over southern Gaza and enforce a daily six-hour no-fly window in the north, the report said.
Biden’s ‘Time’s Up’ call
On November 12, Biden called the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and demanded to know the names or clear identifying information of the 50 hostages, including age, gender and nationality. Without the information, the official said, there was no basis to proceed.
Shortly after Biden’s call, Hamas produced details of the 50 hostages it said would be released in the first phase of any deal.
Biden urged Netanyahu to accept the deal in a November 14 call – Netanyahu agreed.
McGurk, a seasoned diplomat with deep experience in the Middle East, saw Netanyahu in Israel that same day. As he left a meeting, Netanyahu grabbed McGurk by the arm, saying “we need this deal” and urging Biden to call Qatar’s emir
on the final terms, one of the officials said.
The talks stalled when communications in Gaza broke down.
When they moved on, Biden was in San Francisco attending an Asia-Pacific summit. He called Qatar’s emir and told him this was the last chance, and the emir promised to apply pressure to close the deal, the officials said.
“The president insisted the deal had to be done now. Time was up,” an official said.
‘One-state solution’
Pakistani President Arif Alvi has sparked a controversy by proposing a “one-state solution” to the Palestine problem, marking a significant departure from established policy. This has prompted the transitional government to distance itself from the comments and call for his resignation.