<p>After 15 months of the deadly conflict, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people and left the Middle East completely destabilised, Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza and the phased release of dozens of hostages. </p>
<p>The deal, which is yet to be announced formally, will likely see the release of 33 Israeli hostages from Hamas and its allied group in the first phase. These hostages were captured during the October 7 attack in 2023, which started the war. Israel, in return, is also expected to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.</p>
<p>As the reports of a possible deal broke out, the sourthern Gaza city of Khan Younis burst into celebrations, with large crowds taking to the streets and cheering in support of the ceasefire. Some even engaged in celebratory gunfire aheadof the ceasefire deal, prompting an appeal by the Gaza civil defence authorities to avoid injuring people. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, as reports regarding the agreement to pause the war surfaced, Israeli PM Netanyahu’s office said the ceasefire deal is yet not reached and that the final details are being sorted out, news agency Associated Press reported. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, however, cut short his official visit to Europe as the possibility of a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal seemed close.</p>
<h3>What Would Happen Once Deal Is Announced?</h3>
<p>The deal outlines a six-week phase of ceasefire during which the Israeli force will gradually withdraw from Gaza and Hamas will release hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel.</p>
<p>The three-phased agreement will begin with 33 women, children, older adults, and wounded civilians being freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children detained in Israel. The soldiers and male captives would be released later in the second phase, which will begin by the 16th day of phase one. </p>
<p>The second phase is expected to include permanent ceasefire, the release of all the remaining hosatges, and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, news agency Reuters reported.</p>
<p>In the third phase, all the dead bodies will be returned and the reconstruction in Gaza will begin under the supervision of Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations.</p>
<p>The Palestinian civilians will return to northern Gaza, where a massive influx of humanitarian aid is expected given the long-faced dire humanitarian conditions, AP reported.</p>
<p>Though the Israeli military would begin withdrawing from population centres in the first phase, it will stay put along the Gaza-Egypt border, also known as the Philadelphi Corridor, CNN reported citing an Israeli official. The official also said that Israel would maintain a buffer zone inside the Gaza Strip along the border with Israel.</p>
<p>The agreement has been agreed upon after months of negotiations brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, backed by the United States, and comes just ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.</p>
<p>A report by the Associated Press, claims that the deal is expected to include the release of five female Israeli soldiers held by Hamas. They would be exchanged for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 militants serving life sentences. This would happen in the first phase.</p>
<p>Those prisoners who have been deemed responsible for killing Israelis would be released to the Gaza Strip or abroad instead of the West Bank, only after an agreement with foreign countries.</p>
<p>Israeli troops had launched an offensive at Gaza after the October 7 attack by Hamas-led gunmen, who burst into Israeli communities, killing 1200 soldiers and civilians, and abducting over 250 Israeli and foreign hostages. Hamas and its allies reportedly hold 94 hostages, at least 34 of whom are believed to be dead, as per the Israeli government. However, the real numbers are expected to be higher, CNN reported.</p>
<p>These 94 hostages include 81 men and 13 women. Besides them, two are children under the age of five, eight are Thai, one is Nepalese, and one is Tanzanian.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Israel is believed to have been holding at least 10,000 Palestinians, according to the Commission of Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society. These hostages include 3,376 people, who have been held under administrative detention, including 95 children and 22 women. However, this figure does not include the unknown number of Palestinians captured in Gaza.</p>
<p>According to AP, the mediators gave verbal gurantees to Hamas to pressurise Israel to reach a deal for the next phases of agreement as Israel does not commit to ending the war in the agreement, but to only engage in negotiations. </p>
<p>The ceasefire is reportedly not guranteed to go beyond the deal’s first phase, but since Israel is eager to “bring all hostages back home”, it is likely the negotiations might enter into the second and third phase, leading to complete withdrawal of forces from Gaza, CNN reported.</p>
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