The Israeli government voted early on Wednesday in favor of the agreement guaranteeing the release of some detainees in Gaza, and the implementation process is expected to begin on Thursday.
The Israeli government approved a deal under which Hamas would release 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the Jewish state’s release of Palestinian prisoners and the establishment of a temporary truce in the Palestinian Strip, according to an official statement.
The Israeli prime minister said in a statement received by Agence France-Presse: “The government has approved the outlines of the first phase of an agreement under which at least 50 abducted women and children will be released over a four-day period, during which the cessation of fighting will take effect.”
“Continue the war” against Hamas
At dawn on Wednesday, Israel pledged to “continue the war” against Hamas in Gaza immediately after the end of the truce that the Jewish state had just agreed to respect under an agreement under which the Palestinian movement would issue a part of the hostages held in the Strip.
The Israeli prime minister said in a statement received by Agence France-Presse: “The Israeli government, the Israeli army and the security forces will continue the war to return all abducted people, eliminate Hamas and ensure that there is no threat to the State of Israel from Gaza.”
Axios quoted an Israeli official as saying the swap deal would happen in two phases during a four-day truce. Under the deal, in its first phase, Hamas releases around 50 Israeli women and children in exchange for Israel’s release of around 150 Palestinian prisoners, most of whom are women and minors.
This also includes Israel allowing around 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza from Egypt every day and the entry of more fuel into Gaza during the cessation of hostilities.
The official said the second phase of the deal could involve Hamas releasing dozens of Israeli detainees in exchange for extending the ceasefire for several days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening called on his government to support a deal that would pave the way for the release of some detainees brought by Hamas militants to the Gaza Strip following their attack on Israeli cities on October 7.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed his government on Thursday that accepting a deal to release the hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack was “a difficult, but right decision.”
Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting aimed at making a decision on the deal that US President Joe Biden had helped “improve the broad lines presented to you (…) so that (the deal) includes more of hostages at a lower price. “He added:” The entire security system fully supports the agreement.
The families of the hostages have asked Israel to insist on the return of all of them, while the Religious Zionist Party, a member of the governing coalition, has opposed the agreement, considering it “bad” for the safety of Israel, the hostages and the soldiers.
Two sources close to the negotiations on the agreement told Agence France-Presse: “The agreement provides for a five-day truce that includes a comprehensive ceasefire and hostilities, and a complete cessation of Israeli flights in the skies of the Gaza Strip. Gaza, with the exception of Israeli flights in the skies of the Gaza Strip. northern regions, where flights will be interrupted for only six hours a day.”
The two sources add that “the agreement provides for the release of between 50 and 100 “hostages held in the Gaza Strip” by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including civilians and persons of foreign nationality other than soldiers, in exchange for Israel’s release of 300 Palestinian children and women” from Israeli prisons.
They explained that the release of these people “will take place in stages, at the rate of ten Israeli prisoners per day compared to thirty Palestinian prisoners, with the remainder released on the last day” of the truce.
Netanyahu explained that the agreement “will allow the IDF to prepare to continue fighting”, underlining that “the war continues and will continue until we achieve all our objectives: destroy Hamas and return all the hostages.”