According to Israeli authorities, around 20 hostages are still alive
The Israeli Army announced this Thursday that it has begun preparations and is establishing a protocol to soon retreat to the line that was established for the first phase of its withdrawal after agreement.
“The Army has begun operational preparations to implement the agreement [de cessar-fogo]. As part of this process, preparations and a combat protocol are being implemented to quickly advance to the adjusted projection lines”, announced the Armed Forces.
The Army also assured that it remains deployed in Gaza and is prepared for “any operational development”.
This withdrawal should take place before Monday, the day on which Donald Trump announced that the Gaza militias, led by Hamas, will release the 48 hostages still held in Gaza.
According to the newspaper Haaretz, this first phase of the withdrawal will ensure that Hamas locates the hostages, held by its armed wing (the Al Qassam Brigades), but also by other groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
According to Israeli authorities, around 20 hostages are still alive.
The timetable for the other phases of the withdrawal of Israeli troops has not yet been released. Once they reach the “yellow line”, they will remain present in about half of the enclave (until now they controlled more than 80%).
Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and the Islamist movement have accepted the “first phase” of his peace plan, which envisages the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and the release of 20 hostages still alive in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
“All hostages will be released very soon and Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed line as a first step towards a strong, lasting and eternal peace,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social network.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the agreement as “a desperately needed step forward” and called for its full implementation, stressing that “it is an opportunity to recognize the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and move towards a two-state solution”.
