On Jan. 15, a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas was reached. The deal, brokered by America, Qatar, and Egypt, involves three phases. Phase one, taking effect on Jan. 19 and ending in early March, included the release of 33 hostages, prioritizing vulnerable groups. The hostages are released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. 30 prisoners were released for every civilian hostage, and 50 were released for every hostage soldier.
Many released Palestinians were serving life sentences for major terror attacks, making the deal controversial in Israel. On the other hand, millions of Palestinians are celebrating the release of their loved ones. Palestinians were also allowed back into Northern Gaza for the first time in months, and many are struggling with the daunting task of rebuilding their lives in the rubble. The first phase also included an Israeli military withdrawal and increased humanitarian aid. This phase was completed in early March, while the next phase remains uncertain.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas were slated to begin three weeks ago. The second phase could see a release of all remaining living hostages, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces; however, no new agreements have been finalized and disagreements over Israeli security around Gaza and the future governance of the area remain. Israel halted the flow of humanitarian aid into the region after negotiations over the second phase were stalled in an attempt to force Hamas to restart talks. However the lack of access to aid has worsened the humanitarian crises and caused severe supplies shortages.
59 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, with over half of them feared to be dead, causing public pressure to extend the deal to rise in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized the second phase, believing that it would not accomplish the government’s goal of eradicating Hamas completely. However, most of the families of hostages are eager for this ceasefire to be extended into a second phase, as some recently released hostages have relayed signs of life to the families of hostages that they were held with. These signs of life have been both hopeful and worrying for families with loved ones still in Gaza, as many hostages are understood to be in dire condition and in need of a deal now before they run out of time.
