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that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and inflamed the Middle East.
Qatar’s Prime Minister said on Thursday the ceasefire deal would come into effect on 19 January, but added that discussions with Israel and Hamas are ongoing.
The deal consists of three phases, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to release hostages, halt fighting and allow for more aid to reach civilians in Gaza from Sunday.
Questions remain over Gaza’s future governance and the presence of international aid agencies.
Here’s what we know about the deal.
The first phase
The initial phase will last six weeks, and will involve a limited prisoner exchange, the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops in Gaza and a surge of aid into the enclave.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer on Tuesday confirmed Israel was seeking the release of 33 hostages as part of the first stage, including all women, children and men over 50.
, which triggered the ongoing war.
An anonymous Israeli official said “several hundred terrorists” would be freed in exchange for the hostages, with the final number depending on how many of the 33 hostages are alive.
Two sources close to Hamas told the AFP news agency that Israel would release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including those with “lengthy sentences”.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) will move out of populated areas to the edges of the Gaza Strip and critical civilian aid will enter the war-torn region.
Israeli buffer zone
Israeli media reported that, under the proposed deal, Israel would maintain a buffer zone within Gaza during the first phase.
Israeli forces were expected to remain up to “800 metres inside Gaza stretching from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanun in the north,” according to a source close to Hamas.
Israeli forces would not fully withdraw from Gaza until “all hostages are returned”, the Israeli official said.
Haaretz reported that Israel would allow the movement of residents from southern Gaza to the north. It’s unclear how many civilians remain in northern Gaza, but in the cities of Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun.
The source close to Hamas said Israeli forces would withdraw from the Netzarim corridor westward toward Salaheddin Road to the east, enabling displaced people to return through an electronic checkpoint equipped with cameras.
“No Israeli forces will be present, and Palestinian militants will be barred from passing through the checkpoint during the return of displaced persons,” he said.
Israel and Hamas have agreed on a hostage deal and ceasefire, to be implemented in the coming days. Source: AAP / Mohammed Saber
Critical aid
The first phase will also see international aid agencies gain increased access and protections in Gaza.
The United States wants to see aid deliveries to Gaza after the ceasefire agreed reach more than 500 trucks a day, the US State Department said on Wednesday.
“We’re looking at a massive infusion of trucks. … It won’t happen overnight, but we want to get up to over 500 trucks a day,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a regular news briefing after the deal was announced earlier in the day.
However Israel passed laws in October .
What happens next?
Details on the second and third phases of the ceasefire deal are less clear.
Negotiations for a second phase would commence on the “16th day” after the first phase’s implementation, an Israeli official said.
This phase would cover the release of the remaining captives, including “male soldiers, men of military age, and the bodies of slain hostages”, the Times of Israel reported.
Discussions will also include whether the IDF will maintain its presence in Gaza.
Israel has said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas’ military and political capabilities are eliminated.
Lastly, a draft for phase two calls for Hamas and Israel to create “sustainable calm” in the region.
The third stage is expected to address the return of all remaining dead bodies. It would also see the start of Gaza’s reconstruction which will be supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.
There is currently no agreement over who will administer Gaza beyond the ceasefire.
Hamas has said it is willing to hand over power to a new leadership body, but it may seek to keep a hand in any future government, which Israel has previously opposed.
Israel has bombarded Gaza since Hamas’ October 7 attack in which more than 1,200 people, including an estimated 30 children, were killed and over 200 hostages taken, according to the Israeli government. More than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
The October 7 attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
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