CAIRO (AP) — There was a ceasefire Israel and Hamas in Gaza on Saturday two years war. But will the agreement work? US President Donald Trump Have we proclaimed “a strong, lasting, and everlasting peace”?
This transaction put pressure on Israel and Hamas From America, Arab countries and Türkiye. The war has destroyed the Gaza Strip and left many dead. tens of thousands of Palestinianssparking other conflicts across the region, Israel is becoming increasingly isolated.
The first phase of the agreement aims to free the remaining members hostage within days in exchange for the release of hundreds. imprisoned Palestinians by Israel.
Many questions remain about what happens next.
The war started Hamas-led militants invade Israel On October 7, 2023, approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.
israel wants ensure the disarmament of Hamas. Hamas says it wants to ensure that Israel completely withdraws its forces from the Gaza Strip and does not allow war to resume. At the same time, a postwar government for Gaza must be developed to replace Hamas rule. Without it, reconstruction will be impossible and more than 2 million people in Gaza will continue to live in dire conditions.
If there is any delay in resolving these intertwined issues, everything could unravel and Israel could resume its campaign to annihilate Hamas.
Here’s what we know about this deal.
the first step begins
The ceasefire took effect at noon on Friday. The Israeli military announced on the first day that it had withdrawn its troops to the lines agreed on the first day in Gaza City and from areas such as large parts of Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Yunis. Troops remain in large parts of the southern city of Rafah, towns in Gaza’s far north, and large areas along Gaza’s border with Israel.
Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians are now returning to their homes in the north.
Israel has given permission to the United Nations to begin expanding aid to Gaza starting Sunday, a U.N. official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public.
By Monday Hamas plans to begin disengagement The remaining 48 hostages were About 20 of them are believed to be alive. Israel plans to release about 2,000 Palestinians, including hundreds serving time in prison and those seized from Gaza during the war.
President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said Saturday at a rally in Israel that he would hold a celebration on Monday.
Negotiations for the next stage will then begin.
withdrawal of troops
Hamas has long maintained that it would not release the last hostage unless: Israeli forces completely withdraw from Gaza. Hamas said it was relying on President Trump’s assurances that a complete withdrawal would occur after first agreeing to release them.
We don’t know how long it will take, whether it’s weeks, months, or years.
Ann Original 20 point plan The statement issued by President Trump calls on Israel to maintain a narrow buffer zone within the Gaza Strip along the shared border, and Israel also talks about maintaining the Gaza Strip. philadelphia corridora strip of land on the border between Gaza and Egypt.
Israel is unlikely to relinquish these areas unless Hamas is disarmed and the vacuum left in Gaza operations is filled by an organization that Israel deems satisfactory.
President Trump’s plan also calls for Arab-led international security forces to be in Gaza, along with Egyptian and Jordanian-trained Palestinian police. He said Israeli forces would leave the area following the deployment.
disarmament
Hamas has long refused to lay down its weapons, insisting it has the right to armed resistance until Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory ends.
Disarmament is an important demand for Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said the campaign will not end until Hamas’s military is dismantled. network of tunnels Built around the territory.
However, Arab officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hamas may agree to “dismantle” the offensive weapons and hand them over to the Palestinian-Egyptian Joint Committee.
future government
Israel has said it wants to rid Gaza of Hamas influence. But it also rejects any role for the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority or any deal that could lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, has agreed to step back from governing the Gaza Strip and hand it over to a group of Palestinian technocrats.
It is unclear what will replace it.
Under President Trump’s plan, an international organization would govern. He will hold the greatest amount of power, overseeing the administration of Palestinian technocrats who run day-to-day operations. He will also take on a commanding role in directing the reconstruction of Gaza. President Trump’s original 20-point plan: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair To guide the body.
Hamas has so far disagreed, insisting that the Gaza government should be resolved among Palestinians.
stake
For many Israelis, the priority is to free the last hostage held for two years.
Palestinians in Gaza have expressed relief that artillery and ground attacks have temporarily stopped, allowing aid to flow in. But there are also skepticism and concerns about how long the hiatus in fighting will last, whether hundreds of thousands of people will be able to return to their homes, and whether Gaza’s largely ruined cities will be rebuilt.
Many Palestinians fear that Israel will use the breakdown in negotiations as an opportunity to resume attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hardline allies have insisted for months on maintaining long-term direct security control over Gaza and have talked about expelling Palestinians on a “voluntary” basis. In Gaza, many believe that remains Israel’s objective.
Pressure from the United States and its allies, if it continues even after the hostages are released, could prevent Israel from resuming a full-scale war.
If Hamas and Israel are unable to reach a final agreement or negotiations drag on without a conclusion, the Gaza Strip could become stalemate, with Israeli forces holding parts of the Strip and Hamas still active. In that case, Israel is unlikely to allow large-scale reconstruction, and Gaza’s residents will likely languish in tent camps and shelters.
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