The truce between Israel and Hamas will enter into force next day at 6:30 GMT (7:30 Polish time) – reported the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of abroad Affairs. The agreement includes the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped on 7 October 2023 and the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Qatar has hosted negotiators over the past months who have led to an agreement that the Israelis and Palestinians are looking forward to. Egypt and the United States were besides active in mediation.
The agreement notified on 15 January will enter into force at 8:30 local time and provides for a ceasefire for six weeks and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
For many Israeli and Palestinian families, the exchange of Israeli hostages, kidnapped by Hamas during the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, on Palestinian prisoners imprisoned in Israeli prisons is most awaited.
In the first stage, Hamas is to release 33 hostages. These are to be all women and children inactive being held and men over 50. Israel is to release respective 100 Palestinian prisoners. In the first phase of the agreement, this is to be 737 people. According to the Israeli side, a full of 94 hostages are in Hamas' hands.
The head of the U.S. negotiating squad Brett McGurk told CNN station that the first 3 hostages would return to Israel on Sunday afternoon, via the Red Cross.
In the massacre of October 7, 2023, by Hamas, more than 1.2 000 people were killed, including citizens of more than 30 countries, and 251 people were abducted to the Gaza Strip.
In consequence to these events, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian authorities, more than 46,000 civilians were killed and more than 100,000 wounded as a result. The Gaza Strip is ruined, it has a humanitarian crisis, and most residents had to flee their homes.
tcwl/PAP
