Countdown to peace: Commencement of hostilities pause in next 24 hours, says Qatar

New Delhi: A significant turning point in the 47-day-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, an agreement has been reached to release 50 hostages from Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinians. However, the official announcement of this deal is still pending, with Qatar stating that it will be disclosed within the next 24 hours.

Qatar, a key broker in the agreement, released a statement indicating that the starting time of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours, with the pause subject to extension.

Qatar also highlights that a larger number of trucks carrying essential supplies will be allowed into Gaza, addressing the dire humanitarian situation.

The United States played a substantial role in brokering the hostage deal, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the head of the CIA, and President Joe Biden engaging intensely with Qatar and Israel to facilitate the agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited President Biden with improving the terms of the agreement, acknowledging the increased number of hostages and reduced costs.

President Biden expressed his satisfaction, stating he is "extraordinarily gratified" that hostages enduring "weeks of captivity and an unspeakable ordeal" will soon be reunited with their families.

He thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their critical leadership, appreciated Prime Minister Netanyahu's commitment to the pause in fighting, and stressed the importance of fully implementing all aspects of the deal.

Biden further praised Netanyahu for ensuring more humanitarian assistance reaches Gaza as part of the deal, noting that this will alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families. The deal encompasses allowing hundreds more trucks carrying medical aid and fuel to enter Gaza, addressing the pressing humanitarian needs in the region.

However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has declared its commitment to continue operations from the air, ground, and sea in the Gaza Strip leading up to a four-day pause in fighting. The starting time for this pause is expected to be revealed in the coming 24 hours.

A recent update on X on Wednesday (formerly Twitter) from the IDF provided details of ongoing military activities, including airstrikes, exchanges of fire with Hamas gunmen, and the destruction of alleged Hamas infrastructure. Despite these actions, negotiations for the release of hostages seem to be progressing.

The agreed-upon deal entails the release of 50 hostages over the course of four days, coinciding with the temporary cessation of hostilities.

Israeli officials have specified that the hostages to be released will exclusively be women and children, primarily those with Israeli nationality or dual citizenship, excluding foreign nationals. The Israeli government, affirming its commitment to ensuring the return of all hostages, issued a statement:

"Tonight, the government has approved the outline of the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 hostages – women and children – will be released over four days, during which a pause in the fighting will be held. The release of every additional 10 hostages will result in one additional day in the pause. This is on top of the first 50 hostages who will be released over an initial four-day halt in the fighting."

The government emphasized its determination to continue the war to secure the return of all hostages, eliminate the threat posed by Hamas, and safeguard the State of Israel from future threats emanating from Gaza.

If successful, this temporary pause in fighting and the release of hostages will represent the first respite since the onset of the conflict, marked by intense bombings, rocket attacks, casualties, and extensive property damage. The situation continues to unfold as the international community closely watches the evolving dynamics in the region.

Hamas has announced that 50 hostages will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children currently held in Israeli jails. The Palestinian Information Centre, the official outlet for the group's statements, conveyed that this exchange is part of a broader deal that will also permit the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and fuel into Gaza.

According to the statement, Israel has committed to refraining from attacking or arresting individuals in Gaza during the agreed-upon pause in hostilities. Additionally, air traffic will cease entirely in southern Gaza, and in northern Gaza, it will pause for six hours a day, from 10:00 to 16:00 local time, during the four-day pause in fighting.

The duration of the pause may extend beyond four days, as Israel has indicated that for every 10 hostages released beyond the initial 50, an additional day will be added to the pause. Importantly, Israel emphasizes that this is not the end of the conflict, asserting that the war will persist until all hostages are returned, Hamas is eliminated, and there is no new threat to Israel from Gaza.