(Reuters) – These are the main elements of a Gaza ceasefire deal that came into force on Sunday after 15 months of conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and set the Middle East on fire.
The start of the ceasefire was delayed for almost three hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Hamas to provide a list of hostages who were to be freed during the day. An Israeli official later said Israel had received the list.
The mediators, Israel or Hamas, have not yet made public the details of the agreement. Officials familiar with the deal provided the following elements:
* The six-week initial phase of the ceasefire includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
* The deal calls for 600 humanitarian aid trucks to be released into Gaza each day of the ceasefire, 50 of which carry fuel, and 300 trucks deployed to the north, where conditions for civilians are particularly difficult.
* Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women (soldiers and civilians), children and men over 50. Hamas will first release female hostages under the age of 19, and then men over 50. The three hostages are expected to be freed through the Red Cross after 14:00 GMT on Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said.
* Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners for every civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female Israeli soldier released by Hamas.
* Under the terms of the deal, Hamas will inform the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) where the meeting place will be inside Gaza and the ICRC is expected to begin driving to that location to pick up the hostages.
* By the end of the first phase, Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under the age of 19 detained since October 7, 2023. The total number of Palestinians released will depend on the hostages released, and could be between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian detainees, including men, women and children.
* Hamas will release hostages over a six-week period, with at least three hostages to be released each week and the remaining 33 before the end of the period. First, all the living hostages will be released, and then the remains of the dead hostages.
* The implementation of the agreement will be guaranteed by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
* Negotiations on the second phase of the agreement will begin by the 16th day of the first phase and are expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.
* The third phase is expected to include the return of all remaining dead bodies and the beginning of the reconstruction of Gaza, under the supervision of Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations
