A document signed by Hamas representatives and international mediators, and later published by Israeli outlets on Thursday evening, spells out the framework to conclude the Gaza War and bring home the remaining hostages still in captivity more than two years later.
The text, which bore the signature of Steve Witkoff, specified that once US President Donald Trump publicly presents the deal, Israel would immediately cease “all military operations in Gaza, including aerial and artillery bombardment.”
One of the clauses requires Israel to stop aerial monitoring in zones vacated by the IDF.
The agreement further provides that humanitarian assistance will continue entering Gaza, mirroring the process that was implemented under the arrangement made back in January.
Another section lists the areas from which Israeli forces are expected to pull back, with the commitment that troops will not reenter those regions.
The final provision explains that once the army has fully withdrawn, Hamas must release every hostage—both those still alive and the remains of the deceased—within 72 hours, after coordinating details of each individual with various Palestinian groups. That information will be given to the Red Cross and the mediators, while Israel will provide data concerning Palestinians who died while in Israeli custody.
According to a Palestinian source familiar with the discussions, speaking to KAN News on Thursday, the process of recovering all the deceased hostages could extend for several months.
In contrast with earlier hostage handovers, Hamas pledged that this time both the living and the dead would be transferred quietly, without orchestrated propaganda or media exposure.
Simultaneously, Israel would free an agreed-upon number of Palestinian security prisoners, also without cameras or public ceremonies.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister emphasized in a statement to the global press that “the full implementation of the agreement must be ensured in order to reach a peace that will end the suffering of the Palestinians and the prisoners,” Al Jazeera reported.
{Matzav.com Israel}
What? Complete withdrawal, with a signed commitment not to return to those areas, and three days l.a.t.e.r the hostage return??? No clauses on what the army is “allowed” to do if there are attacks or rockets from there, or if all the hostages aren’t released, because they “can’t find them.” They’ve already laid the groundwork for that but w.e. haven’t prepared in kind.