According to US President Donald Trump, the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip could be released on Monday or Tuesday. The agreement between Israel and the radical Islamist Hamas on the first phase of a ceasefire was signed in Egypt on Thursday. The planned ceasefire is expected to take effect 24 hours after an Israeli cabinet meeting.
Trump expected in Israel on Sunday
According to Israeli media reports, the Israeli security cabinet meeting began after a significant delay at around 6:30 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. CEST). It was intended to confirm the agreement. Meanwhile, the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that Trump was expected to visit Jerusalem on Sunday. The US president had previously announced a trip to the Middle East. There has been no official announcement yet.
Trump advocated for a reconstruction of the Gaza Strip financed by wealthy Middle Eastern countries."The Gaza Strip will be rebuilt slowly," he said at a Cabinet meeting in Washington on Thursday."There are certain countries in this part of the world with enormous wealth. And just a small portion of what they take will do wonders for the Gaza Strip."
According to Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Israel does not intend to return to war."We have no intention of resuming the war," he told the US broadcaster Fox News. He also emphasized the need to disarm the Islamist Hamas. Regarding the plan for a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages, Saar also said he believes this can and should mean the end of the war.
Spontaneous street celebrations in Israel and Gaza
News of the agreement sparked spontaneous celebrations in the streets of the Gaza Strip and Israel. However, many questions remain unanswered. These include the timeline, post-war administration for the Gaza Strip, and the fate of Hamas. It is also unclear who will govern the Gaza Strip after the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said,"This is a great day for Israel." Netanyahu spoke with Trump on the phone, according to his office. Both congratulated each other on a"historic achievement."
The radical Islamist Hamas announced that it had agreed to an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip. The agreement includes an Israeli withdrawal from the coastal area and a hostage-for-prisoner exchange. Hamas called on Trump and the guarantor powers to ensure that Israel fully implements a ceasefire, the statement added. According to a Hamas official, the hostages who are still alive are to be handed over within 72 hours of the Israeli government's approval of the agreement.
The Palestinian Authority (PA), despite Trump's plans to the contrary, is claiming a leading role in the post-war Gaza Strip. It is counting on the support of Arab states to assert itself against Israeli resistance, Palestinian officials told Reuters on Thursday. The debate over the future administration of the coastal territory is gaining momentum, as the ceasefire is set to take effect on Thursday. PA Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa told Reuters:"We are already there." He pointed out that despite Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, the PA continues to pay salaries for tens of thousands of civil servants and oversees vital services such as education and electricity.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all sides to fully comply with the hostage agreement."Immediate and unhindered access for humanitarian aid and essential trade goods to Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end."
Israeli army prepares troop withdrawal from Gaza Strip
Meanwhile, the Israeli army says it is preparing to withdraw its soldiers stationed in the Gaza Strip. The armed forces have"begun operational preparations for the implementation of the agreement," the army said on Thursday. The positioning of troops in the Gaza Strip will be"rapidly adjusted."
The Israeli army controls three-quarters of the Gaza Strip. A Hamas representative stated that, in parallel with the agreed release of the hostages, Israeli soldiers would withdraw from parts of the Gaza Strip.
Committee led by Trump and Blair
The next phase of the US plan envisions an international body led by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair playing a role in the post-war administration of the Gaza Strip. Arab countries that support the plan demand that it must lead to an independent Palestinian state. Netanyahu, however, rejects this. He, along with Trump and Western and Arab states, have ruled out any role for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has declared that it will only hand over control of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian technocratic government overseen by the Palestinian Authority and supported by Arab and Muslim countries. Hamas has also so far refused to discuss Israel's demand for a disarmament. Hamas rejects any role for Blair or a foreign government in the Gaza Strip.
The war began with the major Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which, according to Israeli sources, 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip. Of the 48 remaining hostages there, 20 are said to be alive. According to health authorities, more than 67,000 Palestinians have died in the subsequent Israeli military offensive.
