Gaza Ceasefire To Commence Sunday Morning.
In a significant development heralding potential peace in the region, mediators in Qatar have announced that the Gaza ceasefire will begin at 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Sunday morning. This comes after Israel’s government formally approved the deal late on Friday, setting the stage for the initial exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The historic agreement, which our correspondent in Jerusalem describes as a hard-fought battle to secure, will see an initial release of three Israeli hostages, with further groups expected to be freed over the next six weeks. In return, Israel has committed to releasing hundreds of Palestinians currently held in its prisons.
What’s in the Ceasefire Deal?
The ceasefire agreement is structured in three distinct phases. The first, lasting six weeks, will involve the release of 33 hostages, including women, children, and the elderly, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. During this phase, Israeli forces will retreat to the eastern parts of Gaza, away from civilian areas, enabling displaced Palestinians to start returning to their homes. Moreover, the deal stipulates that hundreds of aid lorries will be allowed daily access into Gaza to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.
Moving into the second phase, scheduled to begin on the 16th day, negotiations will focus on the release of all remaining hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops, and establishing a “sustainable calm” in the region.
The final stage will deal with the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies and commence the long-term reconstruction of Gaza, a process anticipated to span several years due to the extensive damage caused by the conflict.
However, significant uncertainties persist, particularly concerning the status and location of some hostages, which remain unresolved.
Qatari Statement on Ceasefire Start Time
The announcement of the ceasefire’s commencement was detailed by Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, via a post on X:
“As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 08:30am on Sunday, February 19, local time in Gaza. We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official sources.”
Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, has been pivotal in mediating these talks, playing a crucial role in bringing both Israel and Hamas to this point of agreement.
This ceasefire marks a critical juncture in a conflict that escalated after Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to the capture of 251 hostages. The subsequent Israeli offensive has, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, resulted in over 46,800 Palestinian deaths, highlighting the desperate need for peace in the region.
