Israel Approves Gaza Cease-Fire and Prisoner Swap, Paving Way for Hostage Releases

Israel has approved a cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza. The announcement, issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, followed the conclusion of complex political and on-the-ground arrangements among the parties involved.

The government \»approved the framework for the release of all hostages, both living and deceased,\» according to a statement shared on the ‘X’ social platform.

Soon after, Israel’s public broadcaster (KAN) outlined the truce’s operational scope, noting that fighting would cease immediately once the government approved the deal.

All military operationsincluding air and artillery strikes as well as ground maneuvers inside the Gaza Stripwould be suspended.

The plan also includes the release of roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

The state broadcaster also said that during the first 72 hours of the truce, Israel would suspend aerial surveillance in areas from which the army had withdrawn. This step, described as part of the ‘calm agreements,’ is intended to help enforce the cease-fire, Al Mayadeen reported.

Hamas: A deal to ‘end the war and the aggression against the Palestinian people’

On the Palestinian side, confirmation came from Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s leader in Gaza and head of the Palestinian negotiating delegation, who announced that a deal had been reached to end the war and aggression against the Palestinian people and to begin implementing a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

In remarks broadcast by Palestinian media, Al-Hayya said the agreement includes the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces, the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, and the opening of the Rafah crossing in both directions.

He also said 250 prisoners serving life sentences and another 1,700 from the Gaza Strip would be released as part of a humanitarian exchange supervised by regional mediators.

In his address, the Hamas official highlighted the resilience of Palestinians in Gaza, casting the conflict as an unprecedented struggle against tyranny, brutality, and alleged massacres by Israel.

He said civilians \»stood firm like a mountain, with unshakable resolve in the face of killing, displacement, hunger, and the loss of relatives and homes,\» according to Al Mayadeen.

He further praised the \»heroism\» of Palestinian fighters and their determination in the face of Israeli armor, claiming they thwarted plans for displacement, starvation, and chaos.

Al-Hayya expressed gratitude to the forces and countries that supported the Palestinian cause, highlighting Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran, and saluted the \»free peoples\» of the world who showed solidarity with Gaza during the two years of war.

According to Al Mayadeen, guarantees received from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States confirmed the entry into force of a permanent cease-fire that would end the Israeli offensive and allow the return of displaced people and the large-scale entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

The cease-fire agreement comes two years and two days after the start of the war in Gaza.

Since October 7, 2023, more than 67,000 Palestiniansmostly women and childrenhave been killed, according to the Gaza Media Office, amid relentless strikes on homes, schools, and hospitals and a blockade that has fueled hunger and a devastating humanitarian crisis.