Israel and Hamas reach Gaza ceasefire deal, what are the next steps? | Gaza News

Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement after 15 months of devastating war that has left Gaza – home to 2.3 million Palestinians – in ruins.

The deal, which is expected to be implemented in three phases starting on Sunday, was approved by the Hamas group on Wednesday.

An Israeli Cabinet meeting, which was expected to approve it on Thursday, has been delayed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Hamas for a “last-minute crisis”. Netanyahu’s far-right allies have refused to back the deal.

Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut reporting from Amman said the delay shows the internal political conflict within Netanyahu’s coalition government.

The agreement spread over three months will see a surge in humanitarian aid, gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The deal, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, also talks about post-war reconstruction efforts in the Palestinian enclave, where more than 60 percent of buildings have been destroyed and damaged in the nonstop Israeli bombardment since October 7, 2023.

January 19 (Day 1)

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced on Wednesday that the deal will take effect from Sunday, when the first Israeli captives are expected to be released and guns will 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 grief.

“Civilians are still absolutely afraid regarding the expansion of the scale of attacks in Gaza in the next 72 hours,” he said, adding that more than 30 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air raids in the past day.

Abu Azzoum said the agreement stipulates that about 600 humanitarian aid trucks will be allowed into the Strip on a daily basis. “But Israel has a very prolonged history of violations regarding commitment to ceasefire agreements,” he said.

Aid agencies have called for unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, where famine may have taken hold.

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli captives held in Gaza reacted to the news of the deal.

Ifat Kalderon, cousin of Israeli captive Ofer Kalderon, said in Tel Aviv that she feels joy, but also “terrible anxiety that it will actually happen”.

“It’s going to be a huge relief, first of all, whenever I see Ofer,” she said. “Second, whenever I see the last hostages crossing the border. And we are going to be here protesting every day until it’s going to happen because I don’t know if it’s going to happen.”

January 25 (Day 7)

On day seven, internally displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to northern Gaza, which has been under a deadly military siege since October, without carrying arms and without inspection via al-Rashid Street.

Cars and any non-pedestrian traffic will be allowed to return north of the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza between north and south, after vehicle inspection which will be performed by a private company to be decided by mediators in coordination with the Israeli side.

Several Palestinians told Al Jazeera they plan to return to their towns and villages the moment they get the opportunity. More than 90 percent of Gaza’s population has been forcibly displaced due to the war.

“As soon as there is a ceasefire, I will return and kiss my land in Beit Hanoon in north Gaza,” Umm Mohamed, a 66-year-old woman who lost two of her 10 children to Israeli bombing, told Al Jazeera.

February 3 (Day 16)

No later than day 16 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 phase one. By this date, 33 Israeli captives should have been released in exchange for 100 Palestinian prisoners.

It is also the start of phase two if things move according to plan. This includes the release of the remaining captives which are believed to number 65. In exchange, Israel is committed to withdraw from Gaza and respect a permanent ceasefire.

Over all, up to 94 Israeli captives, dead or alive, will be freed in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinians. It’s believed nearly 30 captives out of 94 are dead.

Israeli forces should also begin their withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor, which separates Gaza from Egypt.

Israel though has insisted that no written guarantees be given to rule out the resumption of hostilities. Hamas was reportedly given verbal guarantees by Egypt, Qatar and the US that negotiations would continue.

March 9 (Day 50)

By this date, Israel should have completed the full withdrawal of its forces from the Philadelphi Corridor.

April 12 (Day 84)

This is when the third phase should start. Details are still unclear. Should the conditions of the second stage be met, this is when bodies of the remaining captives should be handed over in return for a three- to five-year reconstruction plan to be carried out under international supervision.

There is currently no agreement over who will administer Gaza beyond the ceasefire. The US has pressed for a reformed version of the Palestinian Authority to do so.