Doha, Qatar – The State of Qatar, acting as a mediator, has announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip will come into effect at 0630 GMT on Sunday morning. This pivotal step towards peace was coordinated with all parties involved in the agreement.
Under the terms of this first phase of the ceasefire, Israel is set to release 1,904 Palestinian prisoners. This group includes:
- 737 detainees and security prisoners, among them members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Fatah, as well as women and children. Notably, some are serving life sentences for murder.
- 1,167 Palestinians who were detained during the IDF’s ground operations in Gaza but did not participate in the attacks on October 7, 2023.
The exchange also involves the release of hostages by Hamas. The initial release on Sunday will see three female hostages from a list of 33 humanitarian cases, which includes women, children, elderly, and sick individuals. The remaining 30 hostages from this category are scheduled for release each subsequent Saturday over the 42-day duration of the truce.
The specifics of the exchange ratio are as follows:
- 30 Palestinian prisoners for each living woman, child, or elderly hostage.
- 110 Palestinian prisoners for each of the nine sick hostages.
- 50 Palestinian prisoners for each female IDF soldier.
- 30 Palestinian prisoners for each of the long-term captives, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
- In addition, 47 Palestinians who were released in the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal but later re-arrested will be freed in exchange for the bodies of hostages in the first stage, alongside more than 1,000 Gazan detainees.
This ceasefire not only aims to halt the ongoing violence but also addresses the humanitarian crisis by facilitating the release of hostages and prisoners, fostering a temporary calm in one of the world’s most tumultuous regions. The international community will be watching closely as this agreement unfolds, hoping it marks the beginning of a more stable and peaceful future for Gaza and its people.
