Celebrations Have Erupted In Gaza After Israel And Hamas Agreed To A Ceasefire After 467 Days Of Genocide

Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have taken to the streets chanting, dancing and crying after 15 months of war in which Israel has killed 46,707 Palestinians.

Qatar’s prime minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed on Wednesday, Jan. 15, that both sides had agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal beginning on Sunday, Jan. 19.

Israel’s government has to formally approve the ceasefire on Thursday, but the deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US consists of three phases, each lasting six weeks.
The first phase includes:

1. A halt in fighting.
2. Hamas will release 33 hostages, which include women, children and the elderly.
3. Meanwhile, Israel will release about 2,000 Palestinians prisoners, including approximately 250 serving life sentences, by releasing 30 Palestinian detainees for every civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian detainees for every Israeli woman soldier Hamas releases.
4. Israeli troops will withdraw from populated areas in Gaza to about 700 meters from Gaza’s border with Israel.
5. Israel will also allow Palestinians to return to their homes in the besieged north Gaza and the entry of up to 600 trucks of aid into Gaza.
6. It will also allow injured Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip for treatment, opening the Rafah crossing with Egypt seven days after the first phase begins.

Israel and Hamas will negotiate the second and third phases, which are understood to be agreed to in principle, during the initial six weeks.

During the second phase, Hamas will release all remaining living hostages, mostly male soldiers, in exchange for Israel releasing more Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.

In addition, Israel will initiate its “complete withdrawal” from Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.

The details of the third phase are less clear but are expected to involve Hamas returning the bodies of remaining hostages and a three- to five-year reconstruction plan for Gaza under international supervision.

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