Tel Aviv, January 14 (UITV) – Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages as part of the first phase of the ongoing ceasefire agreement in Gaza. CNN quoted two Israeli officials as saying this on Tuesday. Giving information about this agreement, CNN said that Israel hopes that most of these 33 hostages will be alive, although some dead hostages may also be included in the initial phase of release.
Hamas and its allies still have 94 hostages, at least 34 of whom are believed to have been killed after the attacks on October 7, 2023. This hostage crisis is a key part of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and there are reports that the two sides are close to finalizing the agreement. Israel says that they are ready to implement this agreement as soon as it is signed.
This will be the first phase of the hostage release agreement and it could be an important step towards ending the war in Gaza. Talks for the second phase of the ceasefire and peace agreement will begin on the 16th day of the agreement coming into force. According to CNN, some major issues will be discussed in this phase, such as maintaining the presence of the Israeli army on the Philadelphia corridor between Gaza and Egypt. Apart from this, there is also a dispute over the size of a buffer zone within Gaza, in which Hamas wants a border of 300-500 meters, while Israel demands a border of 2,000 meters.
Citing an Israeli official, CNN reported that the agreement also provides for allowing the residents of northern Gaza to return to their homes. Thus, various aspects have been agreed upon during the talks, showing significant progress towards the agreement. According to the information, the talks were successful during a meeting between Israel’s Mossad director David Barnea and mediators on Sunday night in Doha.
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However, an Israeli official also pointed out that before the agreement can be implemented, it will have to pass through Israel’s security and government cabinet. After this, time will need to be given for possible challenges in the Supreme Court. This official also said that there is definitely excitement about the prospects of the agreement, but it is difficult to say that it will be finally implemented in a few hours or days.
Meanwhile, the forum working for the families of the hostages and the missing has urged caution towards the agreement process. They also reiterated that their aim is to bring all the hostages back home safely. This warning comes from the fact that the implementation of any agreement has become a complex and sensitive issue for both Israel and Hamas sides amid the hostage crisis and the escalating conflict in Gaza.
After the attacks on October 7, 2023, Israel launched its military action against Hamas in Gaza, resulting in the death of about 1,200 Israeli civilians and 250 people being taken hostage. At the same time, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, since then the Israeli army has killed at least 46,565 Palestinians in Gaza, while more than 100,000 people have been injured. This conflict has proved to be very devastating for the citizens of Gaza and efforts are underway to guide the two sides to an agreement.
According to CNN, this horrific result of the war between Israel and Hamas has become a cause of concern for the whole world, because the conflict between the two sides is no longer limited to military forces, but it has posed a serious challenge to human rights and peace. The release of hostages and the possibility of a ceasefire can have a significant impact on the future of this conflict, but the success of the agreement process will depend on how stable and long-term consensus is reached between the two sides.
In this entire context, the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the release of civilians held hostage as a result can be an important step towards a ceasefire and stability in the war, but for this many political and security related challenges will have to be resolved.
