Gaza ceasefire: What can we expect?

Israel and Hamas are believed to be on the verge of agreeing to a deal that would end the war in Gaza and see the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners.

US affiliate CBS has been told by Arab, US and Israeli officials that a deal has been reached and, if all goes well, will be finalized by Israel and Hamas this week.

It would be the most dramatic victory in the 15-month war, which began when the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.

There is hope that the cease-fire agreement will mean an end to the ongoing war in Gaza.

It is also expected to see an exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Hamas took 251 hostages when it attacked Israel in October 2023. It is still holding 94 hostages, although Israel believes only 60 are still alive.

Israel is expected to release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, some of whom have been imprisoned for years, in return for those captured.

The ceasefire is expected to be implemented in three phases, once the agreement is announced.

Details are still being processed. Until the contract is over, it can change.

The first part

A Palestinian official told the BBC that in the first phase, 34 hostages – expected to be civilians – will be replaced by Palestinian prisoners.

Three hostages are released immediately, and another exchange will take place six weeks later.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army has begun withdrawing from the occupied territories in Gaza.

The Palestinian official said detailed negotiations for the second and third phases will begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire.

The second part

In the second phase, the remaining prisoners – soldiers and guards – will be released, in exchange for several Palestinian prisoners.

Of the 1,000 Palestinian prisoners Israel is believed to have agreed to release, about 190 are serving 15 years or more. An Israeli official told the BBC that those convicted of murder would not be extradited from the West Bank.

Meanwhile, Israel will also allow people who have now fled their homes in southern Gaza to return to the north.

Almost all of Gaza’s 2.3m residents have been displaced by the war.

The third part

The third and final phase will involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something that could take years.

An Israeli official said Israeli soldiers would remain in a safe, or protective, position inside Gaza for as long as possible.

Getting to this point has taken months of indirect negotiations, not least because Israel and Hamas don’t trust each other.

Hamas wanted an end to the war before releasing the hostages, something that was unacceptable to Israel.

Stopping the fight will stop the fight while the points are being worked out.

However, it is unclear whether this means the war is over.

One of the main goals of the Israeli war was to destroy Hamas’s military and leadership capabilities. Despite Israel’s heavy losses, Hamas still has the ability to operate and regroup.

It is also unclear whether the hostages are alive or dead or if Hamas knows the whereabouts of all the unknowns.

For its part, Hamas has said it will release some prisoners that Israel says it will not release. This is believed to include those involved in the 7 October attacks.

It is also unclear whether Israel will agree to withdraw from the reservation by a certain date, or whether its presence will remain open.

Stopping any war is easy.

The cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that has halted previous wars has been shaken by conflict and eventually ended.

The time and complexity of this ceasefire means that even a small incident can become a major threat.

Hundreds of insurgents led by Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack in southern Israel, breaking through the border fence and targeting neighborhoods, police stations and military bases.

About 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 hostages were returned to Gaza. Hamas also fired thousands of rockets into Israel.

Israel responded with a massive war, first with airstrikes and then ground attacks. Since then, Israel has attacked Gaza by land, sea and air, while Hamas has attacked Israel with rockets.

Israel’s offensive has devastated Gaza and led to food shortages, and aid is struggling to reach those in need. More than 46,600 people – most of them civilians – have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.