(Reuters) – Here are the main elements of the Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect on Sunday after 15 months of conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and ignited the Middle East.
The start of the ceasefire was delayed for nearly three hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Hamas to provide a list of names of hostages who were scheduled to be released during the day. An Israeli official later said that Israel had received the list.
The details of the agreement have not yet been announced by the mediators, Israel or Hamas. Officials who reviewed the deal provided the following elements:
* An initial six-week ceasefire phase that includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
* The agreement requires that 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid be allowed into Gaza each day of the ceasefire, 50 of which carry fuel, with 300 trucks allocated to the north, where conditions for civilians are particularly difficult.
* Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women (soldiers and civilians), children, and men over the age of 50. Hamas will release female hostages and those under the age of 19 first, followed by men over the age of 50. Three hostages are expected to be released through the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. The Red Cross will arrive on Sunday after 1400 GMT, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said.
* Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners for every civilian hostage, and 50 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli soldier released by Hamas.
* Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas will inform the International Committee of the Red Cross of the meeting location inside Gaza and the ICRC is expected to begin driving to that location to collect the hostages.
* Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under the age of 19 detained since October 7, 2023 by the end of the first phase. The total number of Palestinians released depends on the hostages released, and can range between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian detainees, including men, women and children.
* Hamas will release the hostages within a period of six weeks, provided that at least three hostages are released each week, and the remaining 33 hostages will be released before the end of the period. All living hostages will be released first, followed by the remains of dead hostages.
* Implementation of the agreement will be guaranteed by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
* Negotiations on the second phase of the agreement will begin by the sixteenth day of the first phase, and are expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, including Israeli soldiers, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers.
* It is expected that the third phase will include the return of all remaining bodies and the start of the Gaza reconstruction process under the supervision of Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations.
