The first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is completed – The continuation is uncertain

The archetypal signifier of the ceasefire betwixt Israel and Hamas successful Gaza Strip concluded today, but negotiations for the adjacent stage, successful which the war is expected to extremity for good, person not yet reached a conclusion.

The ceasefire came into effect connected 19 January aft 15 months of bloody war, triggered by an unprecedented onslaught by Hamas against Israel connected 7 October 2023.

The statement provides for 3 phases of 42 days each.

During the first phase, the Palestinian enactment released 25 hostages held successful Gaza and returned 8 hostage bodies to Israel successful speech for immoderate 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.

The second signifier of this fragile ceasefire – which was brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt and aft months of achy negotiations – was usually owed to statesman today. As portion of it, the past Hamas hostages and respective 100 Palestinian prisoners successful Israel volition beryllium released.

The third signifier volition beryllium devoted to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, with the UN estimating the outgo of this task astatine much than $53 billion.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sent envoys to Cairo connected Thursday to sermon the 2nd signifier of the ceasefire with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the US, was expected to convene a gathering with information officials past Friday night, according to Israeli media.

“The parties acrophobic person begun intensive discussions to analyse the adjacent phases of the ceasefire statement successful the discourse of ongoing efforts to warrant the implementation of the agreements reached,” the Egyptian authorities said connected Thursday.

But determination were nary signs of immoderate statement this morning, and the Hamas delegation has not been seen successful Cairo.

Experts judge the astir apt script – and the 1 Israel prefers – is an hold of the archetypal signifier of the ceasefire.

“One happening is certain, the 2nd signifier volition not commencement time (today, Saturday), but the ceasefire volition astir apt not collapse,” Max Rodenbeck, an expert astatine the International Crisis Group, said yesterday.

The statement contains an nonfiction that provides for an automatic hold of the archetypal signifier for arsenic agelong arsenic talks connected the 2nd signifier last.

Hamas, for its part, called connected the planetary assemblage to enactment unit connected Israel “to commencement the 2nd signifier of the statement instantly without delays and hesitation.”

The Palestinians stressed “its afloat committedness to the implementation of each presumption of the statement successful each phases.”

Of the 251 hostages captured by Hamas, 58 stay successful the Gaza Strip, of whom 34 are dead, according to the Israeli army.

“The ceasefire statement and the merchandise of Israeli hostages indispensable beryllium respected. The days up are of utmost importance. The sides indispensable marque each effort to forestall this statement from collapsing,”UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed yesterday.

Negotiations for the 2nd signifier are forecast to beryllium difficult. Israel is demanding the implicit demilitarization of Gaza and the elimination of Hamas. The Palestinian enactment insists it volition stay successful the enclave.

Netanyahu is besides nether unit from his far-right allies successful the authorities who reason ending the war.

During the archetypal 42 days of the ceasefire, humanitarian assistance has managed to participate Gaza, wherever much than 69% of the buildings person either been damaged oregon destroyed and astir each of the residents person been displaced and unrecorded successful dire conditions, without drinking water, nutrient oregon medicine.

The ceasefire negotiations coincide with the commencement contiguous of Ramadan, the Muslim beatified month. Amid the ruins of a destroyed vicinity successful Khan Younis, successful confederate Gaza, residents hung accepted lanterns and worshippers joined successful nighttime prayers astatine mosques.