Israel and Hamas have reached a cease-fire agreement after 15 months of devastating war that has left Gaza – home to 2.3 million Palestinians – in ruins.
The agreement, which is expected to be implemented in three stages starting on Sunday, was approved by the Hamas group on Wednesday.
A meeting of the Israeli Cabinet, which was supposed to be approved on Thursday, was delayed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Hamas for a “last-minute crisis”. Netanyahu's far-right allies have refused to support the deal.
Al Jazeera's Hamdah Salhut reports from Amman that the delay reflects the internal political conflict within Netanyahu's coalition government.
The agreement will be spread over three months and will see an increase in humanitarian aid, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of Israeli prisoners in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, also talks about reconstruction efforts after the war in the Palestinian enclave, where more than 60 percent of buildings were destroyed and damage in non-stop Israeli bombing since October 7, 2023.
January 19 (Day 1)
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced on Wednesday that the agreement will take effect from Sunday, when the first Israeli prisoners are expected to be released and the guns fall silent.
Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip, said the situation on the ground is a mix of cautious relief, hope and lingering sadness.
“Civilians continue to fear an increase in the scale of attacks in Gaza in the next 72 hours,” he said, adding that more than 30 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the past day.
Abu Azzoum said the agreement states that around 600 humanitarian aid trucks will be allowed into the Strip each day. “But Israel has a long history of violations of its commitment to cease-fire agreements,” he said.
Aid groups have called for unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza, where famine can take hold.
Relatives and supporters of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza welcomed the news of the deal.
Ifat Kalderon, cousin of Ofer Kalderon, who was a prisoner in Israel, said in Tel Aviv that she feels joy, but also “terrible anxiety that it will actually happen”.
“It's going to be a big relief, at first, when I see Ofer,” she said. “Secondly, every time I see the last of the enemies crossing the border. And we're going to be here protesting every day until it happens because I don't know if it's going to happen.”
January 25 (Day 7)
On the seventh day, internally displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to northern Gaza, which has been under a deadly military siege since October, unarmed and unscreened through al-Rashid Street .
Cars and non-pedestrian traffic will be allowed to return to the north of the Netzarim corridor, which divides Gaza between north and south, after a vehicle inspection carried out by a private company to be decided by mediators in coordination with the Israeli side.
Several Palestinians told Al Jazeera that they plan to return to their towns and villages as soon as they get the chance. More than 90 percent of Gaza's population has been forcibly displaced as a result of the war.
“As soon as there is a ceasefire, I will return and kiss my land to bomb Israel, to Al Jazeera.
February 3 (Day 16)
Not later than 16 days after the start of the ceasefire, the parties agreed to start negotiating the second phase.
February 9 (Day 22)
On day 22, civilians will be allowed to return north from both al-Rashid Street and Salah al-Din Street without inspection.
March 1 (Day 42)
This marks the end of stage one. By this date, 33 Israeli prisoners should have been released in exchange for 100 Palestinian prisoners.
It is also the start of phase two if things go according to plan. This includes the release of the remaining prisoners believed to number 65. In exchange, Israel is committed to withdrawing from Gaza and respecting a ceasefire permanent Up to 94 Israeli prisoners, dead or alive, will be freed in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinians. It is believed that almost 30 prisoners out of 94 are dead.
Israeli forces should also begin withdrawing from the Philadelphia Corridor, which separates Gaza from Egypt.
Israel however has insisted that no written guarantees will be given to prevent the resumption of hostilities. Hamas reportedly received verbal promises from Egypt, Qatar and the US that the talks would continue.
March 9 (Day 50)
By this date, Israel should have completed the withdrawal of its forces from the Philadelphi corridor.
April 12 (Day 84)
This is when the third stage should begin. Details are still unclear. If the conditions of the second stage are met, this is when the bodies of the remaining prisoners should be given in exchange for a three to five year reconstruction plan that will be carried out under international supervision.
There is currently no agreement on who will govern Gaza beyond the ceasefire. The US has pushed for a reformed version of the Palestinian Authority to do just that.
