President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have reached an initial phase agreement on a ceasefire, although there are still many questions about the implications of the proposed 20-point plan for the future of the Gaza Strip.
“This signifies that ALL hostages will be released imminently, and Israel will retract their troops to a mutually agreed line as initial steps toward achieving Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump stated on Truth Social.
What is Trump’s proposed plan?
Key components of Trump’s proposal include:
- The release of all living and dead hostages in Gaza within 72 hours of Israel accepting the agreement.
- Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life-sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Palestinians detained after Oct. 7, 2023.
- A requirement for Hamas to lay down its arms, and a withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory.
- The delivery of humanitarian aid and the installation of a civilian governing authority for Palestinians.
The Israel Defense Forces announced Thursday their plans to move to “adjusted deployment lines soon,” cautioning that some areas of Gaza remain a “dangerous combat zone.”
A ceasefire in Gaza is set to take effect “within 24 hours” following a Thursday evening government meeting, according to a spokesperson from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
After this 24-hour period, a 72-hour timeframe will commence in which Hamas is expected to release the remaining hostages. The White House earlier indicated that hostages could be released by Monday. Out of the 48 hostages yet to be freed, Israel estimates that 20 are still alive.
An Israeli official briefed on the matter told NBC News that all living hostages would be released at one time.
The ceasefire deal is being reached almost two years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that claimed 1,200 lives. Since then, Israeli actions have resulted in the death of over 67,000 individuals in Gaza, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry.
Gaza’s future?
The first phase of Trump’s plan does not address Gaza’s medium- and long-term future. With most of Gaza’s buildings damaged or destroyed in Israel’s offensive, according to the United Nations, and its population largely forced from their homes, what comes next is an urgent question.
Trump’s plan says the enclave should be temporarily governed by a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” overseen by a “Board of Peace” led by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
That is until the Palestinian Authority, which controls part of the occupied West Bank and is the Palestinians’ main representative internationally, can be “reformed,” according to the plan.
Meanwhile, Hamas has agreed to participate in the hostage and prisoner exchange but has not said it will disarm and disband — a key stipulation of Trump’s proposal.
