Israel and Hamas Finalize Hostage Deal – Netanyahu

• Israel and Hamas finalize a deal to release hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, awaiting Israeli cabinet approval.
• The six-week agreement includes a temporary ceasefire, aid deliveries, and phased negotiations for lasting peace.
• Continued Israeli airstrikes in Gaza raise concerns as over 80 fatalities are reported since the deal’s announcement.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that a “deal to release the hostages” has been finalized.

Netanyahu initially delayed a cabinet vote scheduled for Thursday to approve the Gaza ceasefire agreement, accusing Hamas of attempting last-minute changes to the terms. However, by Friday morning, Netanyahu’s office announced that the negotiating team had reached an agreement on the deal. He instructed the political-security cabinet to convene later that day, with a full government meeting to follow for final approval. Families of the hostages were notified about the development.

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Israeli media reported that representatives from Israel, Hamas, the United States, and Qatar formally signed the agreement in Doha. The ceasefire deal was first revealed on Wednesday by mediators from the US and Qatar. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani stated that the agreement, pending Israeli cabinet approval, would take effect on Sunday.

Netanyahu, while initially cautious, acknowledged the progress and expressed gratitude to US President Joe Biden for his role in advancing the deal. On Thursday, however, he accused Hamas of attempting to “extort last-minute concessions,” delaying the cabinet vote. Hamas maintained its commitment to the agreement, but sources suggest it sought to include additional members in the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released.

Though Israeli negotiators approved the deal after months of discussions, its implementation awaits security cabinet and government approval. Celebrations erupted among Palestinians and families of Israeli hostages upon hearing the news. Despite the announcement, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued, with over 80 fatalities reported by the Hamas-run health ministry since the deal’s revelation.

Key details of the agreement include a six-week initial phase where 33 hostages—women, children, and elderly individuals—will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces are set to withdraw eastward from Gaza’s densely populated areas, allowing displaced Palestinians to return home and facilitating the daily entry of hundreds of aid trucks into the region.

Negotiations for a second phase will commence on the 16th day, aiming for the release of remaining hostages, a complete Israeli troop withdrawal, and the establishment of “sustainable calm.” A third stage will involve recovering the bodies of remaining hostages and reconstructing Gaza, a process expected to take years.

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The conflict originated from Hamas’s unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas, which it designates as a terrorist organization. Since then, over 46,788 people in Gaza have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population displaced. Widespread destruction, critical shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter, and challenges in delivering aid have compounded the humanitarian crisis.

Israel reports that 94 hostages remain in Hamas custody, with 34 presumed dead. Additionally, four Israelis were abducted prior to the war, two of whom are deceased.

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