On Tuesday, it was declared that Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip. Progress has been made, but as of today, the Israeli Cabinet has delayed the vote to ratify this deal, citing that Hamas has created a “last-minute crisis.”
The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have spent this past 15 months trying to mediate an end to this war and the release of the dozens of hostages taken by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which had triggered it.
This has been so far the deadliest and most destructive of wars they’ve ever fought. A conflict that has not only gained national attention but has also destabilized the broader Middle East. The ceasefire would bring the Gaza Strip relief, where Israel’s defense has reduced most of the territory into rubble and has displaced over 90% of Gaza’s population, 2.3 million of which are at risk of famine. And meanwhile, the dozens of Israeli hostages would finally be able to return home to their loved ones after being held in captivity for more than a year.
However, there are contentions of worry. Officials have expressed such optimism in the past, only for negotiations to come to a halt. Now, with the Israeli Cabinet refusing to meet to approve of this deal, and with a governing coalition in one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s key parties threatening to quit if the prime minister does not return to war in Gaza after the first phase of the ceasefire, which was reached Wednesday, now the Israeli government faces a possible collapse.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionist Party, just today, along with Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, another far-right member of the government, has threatened to resign if Israel does not return to war with Hamas. By these ministers working together, they have control of 14 seats in the legislature. Which would be enough to topple the government. However, despite the delay, the Biden Administration is said to “fully” expect the ceasefire-hostage deal to be implemented this Sunday.
The framework presented around this plan was laid out by U.S. President Joe Biden and was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. This plan has a total of three phases. The first phase would begin with the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza over a six-week period, starting with two Americans. And in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children imprisoned by Israel. With the 33 would be five female Israeli soldiers, to whom each would be released in exchange for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 convicted militants who are serving life sentences. During this 42-day period, Israel would withdraw from population centers, allowing Palestinians to start returning to their homes in northern Gaza, and a surge of humanitarian aid with some 600 trucks entering each day.
In the mere hours after Israel and Hamas had agreed on this ceasefire-hostage deal on Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes continued throughout the night and killed at least 77 Palestinians, including women and children, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. As of right now, President Joe Biden, along with his successor President-elect Donald Trump, Hamas, Qatar, and Egypt, have verbally agreed on this deal. All eyes turn to Prime Minister Netanyahu as the door for this deal continues to close.
