Details of the First Phase of the Gaza Agreement: What Do We Know?

SadaNews - Indirect negotiations between delegations from Hamas and Israel, sponsored by mediators, began last Monday in Sharm El Sheikh, resulting in the announcement early Thursday morning of an initial agreement as part of the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip.

This phase includes a ceasefire with no specified start date yet, as well as the release of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza at the latest by next Monday, amid anticipation of an official signing of an agreement that would end the bloody conflict that has persisted for two years.

When will the agreement be signed?

Mediators have not yet announced the date for the official signing of the agreement, but it is expected to be signed in Egypt this Thursday afternoon, according to a Palestinian source quoted by the French Press Agency.

Reuters reported an Israeli source confirming that meetings were held for the security cabinet and the government in Israel to approve the agreement at 5 PM local time.

What does the agreement entail?

The U.S. President announced that the agreement between Israel and Hamas on the first phase of his plan "means that all hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw its forces to the agreed line, which are the initial steps toward a strong, lasting, and eternal peace."

According to a Hamas leader quoted by the French Press Agency, the group will release 20 living Israeli prisoners in one batch in exchange for Israel's release of over 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 who were detained since the war began two years ago.

A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations announced that this exchange should take place within 72 hours of the agreement's implementation, noting that "the agreement was reached with the approval of the Palestinian factions."

The same source told the French Press Agency that the agreement also stipulates the entry of at least 400 trucks of aid daily into the Gaza Strip "during the first five days after the ceasefire," with increases expected in the coming days.

Additionally, "the agreement mandates the return of displaced persons from southern Gaza to Gaza City (central) and northern Gaza immediately upon its implementation," according to the same source.

Regarding the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, American ABC network clarified, citing a White House official, that the withdrawal to the agreed line in Gaza will take less than 24 hours from the time Tel Aviv agrees to the agreement.

Concerning deceased Israeli prisoners, an informed official told The New York Times that the remains of about 28 detainees will be returned in stages as locating some of them will take longer.

What are the next steps?

Mediators have not yet announced many details of the agreement. However, the spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majid Al-Ansari, confirmed that both sides "agreed on all terms and mechanisms for implementing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which will lead to ending the war, releasing Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and allowing the entry of aid, with details to be announced later."

Trump is expected to head to Egypt in the coming days, after the White House stated he is considering a visit to the region.

Netanyahu invited Trump to deliver a speech before the Israeli parliament, and Trump told Axios that he is ready to do so.

What we do not know

There are still significant details that remain unclear. Among these details are the timing and governance of the Gaza Strip after the war and the fate of Hamas.

There is no clear indication of who will govern Gaza after the end of the war. Trump's 20-point plan hints at a role for the Palestinian Authority but only after it undergoes significant reforms.

When will the other phases be discussed?

The agreement so far involves the first phase of Trump's plan. However, the subsequent phases, which include disarming Hamas and forming a Palestinian technocrat government to govern the Gaza Strip under international supervision, with a "Peace Council" led by the U.S. President, require further negotiations.

A Hamas leader stated that negotiations regarding the implementation of the second phase of Trump's plan will begin as soon as the first phase is initiated.