The war in which began with the most violent terrorist attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, had an immense human and economic cost for the Palestinians in the disproportionate Israeli response. The thousands of deaths on both sides, the 250 kidnapped hostages and the tons of destroyed buildings shook the world. The bloody conflict on multiple fronts was televised and followed on all continents, promoting an ideological division in several countries due to regional alliances and the political positioning of their leaders. The agreement signed today reveals that the fatigue of months of combat and the media war waged on television networks and social networks, made the prolongation of the conflict unsustainable for the stronger side. At least for now.
Many details about the phases of the ceasefire and the obligations and duties of each side are still being released, but the central structure of the agreement demonstrates greater advantages for Hamas in some aspects. The first phase will begin on January 19th and will last an expected 42 days. This moment will see the release of 33 Israeli hostages, prioritizing children, women, the elderly and the sick. According to the most recent data from Israeli intelligence agencies, of the 94 hostages still in the custody of the terrorist group in Gaza, 34 are already dead. This release of the kidnapped is conditional on the release of 1000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, however for 9 injured hostages to be freed in the first few days, 110 prisoners with life sentences must be released. The remaining 27 hostages alive will appear in a second exchange, probably during the implementation of the second phase of the agreement.
The cessation of hostilities is essential for the development of the agreement, but it was also determined that Israeli military forces must withdraw from the main regions of the Palestinian enclave. The Israeli presence will initially continue in areas bordering Egypt, but may decrease with the evolution of talks during phases 1 and 2. The expectation is that after a week, unarmed civilians will be able to return to the North of the Gaza Strip, the most populous region of the territory. The third phase will ideally be focused on the reconstruction of Gaza, in which Western and Arab countries would be responsible for rebuilding cities from the rubble from the ashes.
The Americans were essential for the negotiations to take place, whether the administration was outgoing or incoming. United States President Joe Biden celebrated his diplomatic team’s efforts in sealing the agreement, saying that the American objective is to normalize Israel’s relationship with all its Arab neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, the future president, Donald Trump, said that nothing would be signed if it were not for the presence and insistence of his team of special envoys, ending his speech emphatically, highlighting that Gaza will no longer be a haven for terrorists.
The United Nations, through Secretary-General Antônio Guterres, says it is relieved to be able to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinians living in a situation of misery and hopelessness. On the side of the new leaders celebrate the agreement as a defeat for Israel, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog valued the diplomatic efforts that will allow the hostages to return home. Many diplomatic agents will be essential to ensure and monitor compliance with all determined points. The internal pressure for Netanyahu proved to be beyond tolerable, to the point of forcing him to accept an agreement that was not very favorable for Israel. With Trump’s arrival in the Oval Office within a week, what seems historic and relieving today may just be a war strategy tomorrow.
