Hostage and Prisoner Exchange... Israel to Withdraw Troops from Gaza
Biden Clings to Gaza Ceasefire as His Final Achievement
Trump: "This Ceasefire Is the Result of Our November Victory"
On the 15th (local time), major foreign media outlets including Bloomberg News and The Washington Post (WP) simultaneously reported that Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza war. This comes 15 months after the outbreak of the war. The Middle East situation, which had been escalating and raising concerns about a 'Fifth Middle East War,' has now reached a major turning point with this ceasefire agreement.
On this day, foreign media cited key sources reporting that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a three-stage ceasefire: first, to halt the war for 42 days, then exchange hostages and prisoners, and finally discuss a permanent ceasefire. This is 15 months after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States who is set to take office on the 20th, also stated on his social networking service (SNS) Truth Social, which he created, "We have reached an agreement for the release of hostages in the Middle East," adding, "They will be released soon."
According to the agreement reported by foreign media, Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase of the ceasefire. The release targets include children, women, the injured, and those over 50 years old. Initially, three hostages will be released per week, and the remaining hostages will be freed before the end of the ceasefire period. In the second phase of the ceasefire, hostages and Israeli soldiers held captive by Hamas are expected to be released. Currently, 94 hostages are held in the Gaza Strip, with the Israeli military estimating that 34 of them have already died and 60 remain alive.
Israel has agreed to release 30 Palestinian prisoners for each released Israeli civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian prisoners for each released Israeli female soldier. All Palestinian female and child prisoners captured since the start of the Gaza war will be released.
The Israeli military must gradually withdraw troops deployed in the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the ceasefire. On the 16th day of the ceasefire, detailed discussions on the second phase will begin. Topics include the release of Israeli male soldiers, a permanent ceasefire, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops. In the third phase of the ceasefire, reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will commence under the supervision of mediators such as Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations.
Israel plans to submit the ceasefire agreement to a cabinet vote on the 16th, and after cabinet approval, the ceasefire date is expected to be set. The ceasefire is likely to take effect on the 19th.
U.S. President Joe Biden has been strongly pressuring both Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement, aiming to make ending the Gaza war his last diplomatic and security achievement during his term. President-elect Trump has also emphasized the need to end the Gaza war. He claimed that his election victory led to the ceasefire negotiations.
In a post on Truth Social, President-elect Trump said, "This lengthy ceasefire agreement could only have been achieved as a result of our historic victory in November (last year)," adding, "We accomplished a lot even without being in the White House. Imagine all the amazing things that will happen when I return to the White House, fully assemble the administration, and achieve more victories for America." He further explained, "Following this agreement, my national security team will continue close cooperation with Israel and its allies through the efforts of Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to ensure that the Gaza Strip never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists," and "Building on the momentum of this ceasefire, we will further expand the historic Abraham Accords and continue to promote peace through strength in the region."
Meanwhile, this war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 civilians and soldiers and abducting 251 people. In response, Israel deployed ground forces to the Gaza Strip, during which 46,500 civilians and Hamas militants were killed.
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