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Ceasefire preparations are underway in the Gaza Strip. Israeli and Palestinian officials prepared for Saturday’s long-awaited deal which includes the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, The Washington Post reports.
The ceasefire is scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. It will halt the war ravaging Gaza for the last 15 months in three 42-day phases. The Israel Defense Forces will continue defending Israel against any attacks should Hamas break the ceasefire, a senior IDF official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns that his side will not proceed with the deal unless Hamas provides the names of the first three hostages the group will release on Sunday, as both parties agreed.
Hamas will release thirty more Israelis during the first phase of the agreement. However, as of Saturday evening, Hamas has not released their names.
Hamas is to transfer the captured Israelis to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which said in a statement it was “ready and willing to undertake all required aspects of this operation.” The Red Cross will then hand the hostages over to the IDF within Gaza.
The IDF official stated that three sites along the Gaza border have been designated for transporting hostages by helicopter to hospitals.
Israel, on its part, is to release more than 730 Palestinian prisoners and detainees — mostly from the West Bank — and over 1,100 Gaza residents held by Israel, according to a list released by Israel’s Justice Ministry on Friday.
Palestinian officials and the Israeli military warned the people of Gaza to exercise caution even after the ceasefire begins. The IDF advised Gazans against approaching Israeli soldiers. Some IDF soldiers are to remain in the enclave during the ceasefire’s first phase.
For their part, Gazan officials warned people returning to their homes that they would likely find them destroyed. Returning residents may encounter corpses, unexploded bombs, toxic waste, and other hazards.
A surge in humanitarian aid will follow the ceasefire. The Israeli siege has deprived Gazans of drinkable water, food, and medical supplies.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority which governs part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank said the P.A. and leader of Hamas rival Fatah, is ready to “assume full responsibility” for governing Gaza.
Abbas also said the militant group’s continued entrenchment in Gaza posed a risk to fully carrying out the agreement.
Addressing the public, Netanyahu hailed the successes of the 15-month-long military campaign that led to the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas. The campaign started after Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023. That attack saw Hamas militants kill 1,200 people and take 251 hostages. Ninety-four hostages remain in Gaza
“We changed the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu said, adding that Hamas is now “completely alone.”
