Details have been revealed much disputed agreement on the Gaza truce and the release of the hostages, approved by Hamas but forcefully rejected by Israel. Which, in response, marched on Rafah.
The London-based pan-Arab news outlet Al-Araby al-JadeedAlso known as The New ArabHe obtained the text of the ceasefire agreement for Gaza accepted by Hamas, awaiting an official pronouncement from the Jewish State. The full text of the proposal put forward by the mediators therefore becomes public domain Egypt and Qatarwhich provides an implementation plan in three phases, each lasting 42 days. It goes without saying that the text will have to be modified to also meet Israel’s favor, without prejudice to the irreconcilability between the main positions of the parties in conflict. Very fragile trucetherefore, regardless.
Hamas, what does the hostages and ceasefire agreement provide that Israel does not accept
The framework agreement aims to release all Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip, “whether civilians or soldiers, alive or not”in exchange for the release of an agreed number of prisoners in Israeli prisons and the “return to sustainable calmso as to reach a permanent ceasefire,” the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the post-war reconstruction. In a nutshell, these are the main conditions that received the “yes” of the fundamentalists and whose guarantors they are Qatar, Egypt, the United States and the United Nations. The program is divided into three interconnected phases.
First phase (42 days)
During the first phase of the truce, Hamas to release 33 Israeli hostages (“dead or alive”, it is specified), including women (civilians and soldiers), Boys (under 19 years old, excluding soldiers), elderly people (over 50 years old), sick and injured civilians, in exchange for numbers of prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centers. In exchange, the Jewish state will have to release 30 prisoners over 50 years of age and sick for every Israeli detainee, based on lists provided by Hamas, based on the criterion of the earliest arrest in time. The agreement also provides:
- temporary cessation of mutual military operations between the two sides and the withdrawal of Israeli forces towards the East, away from densely populated areas, towards an area along the border of the entire Gaza Strip, the first phase of the agreement also provides for:
- the suspension of military and reconnaissance air operations in the Strip for 10 hours a day and for 12 hours on the days of the release of detainees and prisoners;
- the return of displaced people to their areas of residence and the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Valley, the Netzarim axis and the Kuwait roundabout. In particular, three days after the release of three detainees, Israeli forces will have to completely withdraw from al-Rashid, dismantle military sites and installations in this area and allow the return of displaced people to their homes in the north of the Strip.
The 22nd dayafter the release of half of the living civilian detainees (including female soldiers), Israeli forces will withdraw from the center of the Gaza Strip east of the Salah al-Din Highway towards another area, near the border. It will also be guaranteed freedom of movement for residents in all areas of Gaza. Starting from the first day, the entry of large and sufficient quantities of food must be allowed humanitarian aid, relief materials and fuel (600 trucks per day, including 50 fuel trucks). The supply of what is necessary to operate the electrical infrastructure and equipment must also be permitted the removal of rubbleas well as to rehabilitate and manage hospitals and centres
healthcare and bakeries in all areas of the Strip.
Exchange of prisoners and prisoners
Once the exchange between the 33 Israeli hostages and the Palestinian detainees has been completed, Hamas will proceed with the liberation of all living Israeli female soldiers. In exchange, Israel will release again 50 prisoners from its prisons for every freed Israeli female soldier, based on lists provided by Hamas. The exchange process is linked “to the extent of compliance with the terms of the agreement”namely the cessation of mutual military operations, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of displaced people and the entry of humanitarian aid.
No later than the 16th day of the first phase, indirect discussions will begin between the two sides to agree on the details of the second phase, especially regarding the conditions for the exchange of prisoners and detainees of both sides (remaining soldiers and men). On one condition: that these details are established and agreed upon by the end of the fifth week of this phase. A sort of pressure and race against time, in short, where every comma seems put to order create difficulties for the opposing party and induce them to make mistakes. Translated: to ruin the agreement and take up further time. All measures in this phase – including the temporary cessation of military operations, relief efforts and withdrawal of forces – will continue in the second phase, until “sustainable calm” is declared.
Second phase (another 42 days)
During the second phase, Hamas’ plan includes the announcement of a return to sustainable calm (cessation of military and hostile operations) and its entry into force before the exchange of detainees and prisoners between the two parties. The hostage exchange will concern all the Israeli men left alive (civilians and soldiers) returning an agreed number of prisoners to Jewish prisons. In this second phase, the complete and effective withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip is also envisaged.
Third phase (another 42 days)
In the third and final phase of the agreement, the exchange of bodies and remains by both parties is envisaged, after their identification. It will also have to be implemented reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip for a period of 3 to 5 years, including homes, civil structures and public infrastructure. A decision will then have to be made compensation for all those affected, under the supervision of a number of third countries and organizations, including Egypt, Qatar and the UN. Finally, it is expected the definitive end to the siege of Gaza.
Israel and Hamas far from an agreement
Beyond the content of the text approved by Hamas, and also what Israel will produce together with the mediators, the positions of the two parties remain irreconcilable at a strategic level. The Jewish state wants to control the entire portion of territory from the Mediterranean to the Jordan Valley, therefore including Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas instead wants to control the Strip and, in agreement with Iran, destroy them Abraham Accords which provide for the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Arab monarchies.
In short, the gaps between Hamas and Israel concern the most important aspects: Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages to be released and the end of the war. With regard to the first pointfundamentalists have called for the Israeli veto to be eliminated release of “heavy” prisoners. If this were the case, the Fatah leader could be released Marwan Barghoutisentenced in Jewish territory to various life sentences. The second point concerns the hostages: Hamas in fact refused to release only those still alive in the first phase of the agreement. Finally the knot of cease-fire: in the first phase of the agreement it would only be temporary, but it would become definitive starting from the second or third phase. With Hamas wanting precise international guarantees. The Islamic faction, according to sources cited by CNN, would be ready to release 33 hostages “dead or alive”, but only 18 if Israel does not accept the end of the war. For its part, Tel Aviv always has rejected the requests both on the conclusion of military operations and on the total withdrawal from Gaza.
It could take days to finalize the Gaza deal
Behind the curtain of impulses, diplomacy, declarations and about-faces, it therefore appears increasingly probable that the finalization of any agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza will take several more days. According to CNN, which cites U.S. and Israeli officials, any potential agreement on a framework that combines a temporary ceasefire with the release of hostages in Gaza will likely be followed by continued negotiations over the most contested details of the agreement. For this reason, the negotiation of a final agreement between the parties is expected to take several more days. The Hamas delegation will travel to Cairo again for the meeting with the mediators, while Mossad director David Barnea he seems to have the intention of remaining in Israel. The director of the CIA, Bill Burnsinstead he remained in Egypt.
According to two Israeli sources cited by CNNfor the finalization of the agreement it may take a week. Before Hamas’ “yes”, the broadcaster had already quoted a US official, who had declared that even if Hamas accepted the agreement as proposed, it would still take a few days to define the details for a truce. CNN underlines that US officials continue to look to talks with “cautious optimism”, describing the progress made but recalling that previous efforts fell through at the last minute. Meanwhile tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in several cities across the country, including Tel Aviv, to protest against the government and loudly demand an agreement for the release of the hostages, as well as early elections. Some family members of the hostages, reports the Times of Israelaccused Prime Minister Netanyahu of not wanting any agreement and of using propaganda to extinguish any attempt by mediators and Hamas to reach a truce.
