What does the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza include: when does the truce start?

It was confirmed yesterday, January 15th 2025an agreement of truce in the Gaza Strip Between Hamas And Israelmediated, among others, by Qatar, the United States, Egypt and Türkiye, which is expected in the coming years 6 weeks (42 days) a cease-fire in Palestine, the release Of 33 hostages Israelis in exchange for hundreds of prisoners Palestinians and the start of withdrawal of troops Israelis from some areas of the Strip. The agreement, discussed at Doha and the result of long and intense negotiations, it should officially begin Sunday 19 Januarythe day before Donald Trump’s inauguration as the new president of the USA, and should be divided into three phases. Since the attacks on October 7, 2023, deaths in Gaza and the West Bank would be higher 46,000 (largely Palestinians). The local and international reactions to the news of the agreement were therefore very positive, with the Palestinian population celebrating in the streets.

Attention: the Israeli-Palestinian issue is extremely complex and delicate and we are aware that any type of summary risks omitting information; therefore this article must be seen in the context of the contents that we have proposed and will propose soon. We therefore invite you not to miss them: you can find everything in the Israel-Palestine section of our website. Our aim is to make people understand the geopolitical situation with maximum neutrality and stimulate interest in further insights.

When the truce starts: the 3 phases envisaged by the agreement between Hamas and Israel

As anticipated, the agreement between Hamas and Israel should be divided into three phases: during the first phasewhich will begin on January 19, is expected to be 42 day truce during which they will be released 33 Israeli hostages – in particular the elderly, women, children and the sick – in exchange for approx 1000 Palestinian prisoners locked up in Israeli prisons. This phase also involves gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, with the progressive return of the Palestinian population to the north of the Strip and the entry of more humanitarian aid. On the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, in the so-called Philadelphia corridorfor the moment a sort of buffer zone will be maintained and Palestinians will be able to return to their homes, passing through border controls.

During the first phase, if everything goes well, the precise terms of the contract will be negotiated secondaccording to which in principle the remaining Israeli hostages, including soldiers, will be released in exchange for the release of other Palestinian prisoners: in this phase, at the same time, there will be the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

In the third and final phasethe bodies of the Israeli hostages (no longer alive) will be returned to their families of origin and a reconstruction planunder international guidance.

How the ceasefire in Gaza was reached: the negotiations

The agreement between Hamas and Israel was reached during negotiations lasted months with the mediation of Qatar and it has accelerated in recent weeks and days thanks to the push of the United Statesmainly in the guise of President Biden and of Secretary of State Blinkenbut also thanks to the pressure exerted on the Israeli government by Steve WitkoffTrump’s man admitted into the negotiation process. In fact, it should be remembered that Monday 20 January tycoon will settle in the USA for his second non-consecutive term in the White House.

The conditions for reaching the truce also depended on military defeat of Hamas’ main allies in the Middle East: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and, more generally, theIranweakened by the new regional and international panorama.

In the meantime, in the Gaza Strip the civilian population is celebrating the announcement of the ceasefire with enthusiasm, despite the catastrophic humanitarian situation. In fact, all the health facilities in the area have been closed and the Palestinian population is experiencing an extreme condition hunger and malnutrition, in addition to the lack of medical aid.

What is not yet certain is the fate of the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal of Israeli troops: the plan for the reconstruction of the territory under international supervision has not yet been detailed and the process will require time and probably a joint effort by thePalestinian National Authority (ANP) and of civilian population.