Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on the first phase of a peace plan for the Gaza Strip, which envisages the release of hostages, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
According to the Times of Israel and the AFP agency, the country that hosted the latest rounds of negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must convene the cabinet to ratify the understanding, as required by local legislation.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi invited United States President Donald Trump to participate in the signing ceremony. Trump had already said that he could go to the Middle East if the agreement was finalized, although there is still no confirmation of his presence.
Peace plan for Gaza
The initiative marks the relationship between Israel and Hamas. According to the group, the plan envisages the end of the war and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory, in addition to the entry of humanitarian aid and the carrying out of a “prisoner exchange”.
Sources close to the negotiations say that more sensitive issues, such as the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza, should be addressed in later phases.
First phase
According to President Donald Trump, the first phase of the agreement includes a ceasefire, the release of hostages remaining in Hamas custody and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
A “Peace Council”, provided for in the 20-point plan proposed by Trump, must supervise compliance with the initial measures. The body would have an international character and would have a “technocratic and apolitical” Palestinian committee responsible for the administration of Gaza.
“The most important part is that the hostages will be released,” Trump told Fox News, adding that the release would take place “probably on Monday.”
Hostage release
There are still disagreements about when the release of detainees will begin. While, Israeli officials told Reuters and CNN The process can start on Saturday (11) or Sunday (12).
According to the Israeli government, 48 people are still held hostage in Gaza — 47 of them captured during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which started the war.
At least 20 were alive and 26 dead, according to Israeli estimates. The majority are Israeli citizens, in addition to five foreigners (three Thais, one Tanzanian and one Nepalese).
Trump’s involvement
The role of the United States was decisive in unlocking the negotiations. According to the International analyst at CNN, Lourival Sant’Anna, Hamas had already accepted the conditions proposed by Washington since May, but Israel resisted closing the agreement. Trump’s direct intervention was decisive for the resumption of negotiations.
The and called on the American government to guarantee Israel’s fulfillment of its commitments.
Trump, in turn, congratulated Netanyahu and Middle Eastern countries “for coming together to make the deal possible.”
“The Middle East has come together. Surprisingly, they have come together,” said the American.
War in Gaza
The c completed this week. The fighting began after the Palestinian group’s attack on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 dead and 251 kidnapped, according to Israeli data.
Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
International organizations and UN experts point out that the region is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, water and medicine.
Doctor in International Law Priscila Caneparo, heard by the CNNstates that the situation is already described by analysts as a “saudocide” — a genocide caused by the deprivation of essential health resources.
(With information from Tiago Tortella, from CNN Brazil and Kaania Iyer, d CNN)
