Israel And Hamas Will Exchange Hostages And Prisoners After Agreeing To A Pause In The War In Gaza

CAIRO (AP) — Israel and Hamas reach agreement A pause in their devastating two-year war and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners – a move that was greeted with joy and relief on Thursday, but also caution.

Uncertainties regarding the issue continue Broader peace plan developed by US President Donald Trump’s administration Such as whether Hamas will disarm, how it will disarm, and who will rule Gaza. But the parties appear closer than they have been in months to ending the war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Large parts of Gaza turned into rubblebrought famine in parts of the regionand left dozens of hostages, dead and alive, in Gaza.

The war started with Hamas’ deadly attack The attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 triggered other conflicts in the region, sparking protests and incidents around the world. genocide allegations Israel denies this.

Despite the agreement expected to be signed later in the day, Israeli attacks continued and explosions were seen in northern Gaza on Thursday. No immediate damage or loss of life was reported.

An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military directives, said Israel continued to hit targets that posed a threat to its own troops while repositioning.

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, celebrations were relatively quiet and often tinged with grief.

“I am happy and unhappy. We lost so many people, our loved ones, our friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think about what will happen to us… The areas we have returned to and are planning to return to are uninhabitable.”

in Tel Aviv, families of remaining hostages Trump popped champagne and cried tears of joy after announcing late Wednesday that a deal had been reached.

In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with others.

“We are so excited this morning, we cried all morning,” he said. “It’s been two years of terror.”

Hamas plans to release all surviving hostages within a few days under these conditions, while the Israeli army will begin to withdraw from the majority of Gaza, people with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the details of the agreement, which has not yet been fully made public. Of the 48 hostages still in captivity, 20 are believed to be alive.

In a short video released by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking on the phone to a group of happy hostage families.

Trump, who is expected to be in the region in the coming days, said, “The hostages will come back.” “They’ll all be back on Monday.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to convene the Security Cabinet later Thursday to approve the ceasefire, after which the entire parliament will meet to approve the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who opposed previous ceasefire agreements, said he had “mixed feelings”.

While he welcomed the return of the hostages, he said he felt “great fear about the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing a new generation of terrorist leaders” and called on Israel to continue efforts to eliminate Hamas and ensure the demilitarization of Gaza once the hostages are released.

Hamas, meanwhile, called on Trump and mediators to ensure that Israel implements the troop withdrawal, aid entry to Gaza and prisoner exchange “without rejection or delay.”

The agreement, which was submitted to the Israeli parliament and is expected to be signed later in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of Israel’s withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials, a Hamas official and another official briefed on the talks.

Israel will publish the list of prisoners and victims of the attack will have 24 hours to appeal.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were not allowed to be publicly named about the negotiations.

Egyptian and Hamas officials said the release of hostages and detainees was expected to begin Monday, as Trump had indicated, but another official said it could happen as early as Sunday night.

Egyptian and Hamas officials said that five border gates between Gaza and Egypt, including the Rafah crossing, will be reopened, and 400 trucks will be allowed in the first days, and later this number will increase to 600 trucks.

The Trump peace plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence in Gaza along the Israeli border. An international force consisting largely of soldiers from Arab and Muslim countries will be responsible for Gaza’s security. The United States will lead a massive, internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The plan also calls for an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority, something Netanyahu has long opposed. But the authority that governs parts of the West Bank must undergo a comprehensive reform program that could take years.

Even less clear is Trump’s plan for a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu flatly rejects.

After reaching agreement on the deal, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi met with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner in Cairo on Thursday.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war.

In the ensuing Israeli offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza during the war and nearly 170,000 were injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which did not distinguish between civilians and combatants but said about half of the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-led government, and the United Nations and many independent experts consider the ministry’s figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

Although many details have yet to be agreed upon, many expressed relief at the progress.

Starting Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday, joyful relatives and supporters of the hostages flocked to Tel Aviv’s central square, which became the main meeting point for efforts to free the captives. Many sang and danced, waving Israeli and American flags.

Einav Zangauker, mother of Israeli prisoner Matan Zangauker, told reporters that she wanted to tell her son that she loved him.

“If I have one dream, it is to see Matan sleeping in his own bed,” he said.

Alaa Abd Rabbo, from the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, called the announcement “a blessing.”

“This is the day we have been waiting for,” said Abd Rabbo, who is originally from northern Gaza but had to move many times during the war. “We want to go home.”

This will be the third ceasefire since the beginning of the war. The previous two also saw hostages and prisoners exchanged. Israel The most recent ceasefire, which started in January, has ended. With a surprise bombardment in March.

Palestinian Ayman Saber from Khan Younis said that he plans to return to his hometown and rebuild his house, which was destroyed in the Israeli attack last year.

“I will rebuild the house, we will rebuild Gaza,” he said.

Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Shurafa from Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Aamer Madhani in Washington, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, David Rising in Bangkok, Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Jerusalem contributed to this report.