A senior administration official stated Wednesday night that five female Israeli soldiers will be freed on the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in exchange for terrorist prisoners. The official also mentioned that two US citizens, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, are set to be released during the initial phase of the agreement.
As part of the agreement, 600 humanitarian aid trucks will enter Gaza daily, including 50 fuel trucks designated for the northern Gaza Strip. Additionally, Israel will release 30 terrorist prisoners for every civilian hostage and 50 for every soldier.
As part of the agreement, Israel will release all the Gazan women and children under 19 who have been detained since October 7, 2023. The total number of prisoners released will range from 990 to 1,650, depending on the number of hostages freed by Hamas.
The Nuchba special force terrorists who carried out much of the October 7 atrocities will not be included in the deal.
BREAKING ?? : WIDESPREAD CELEBRATION IN #GAZA
Tears, hugs and calls to the sky on the streets in #Gaza as Palestinians wave flags and celebrate ceasefire that will return their captives from #Israel pic.twitter.com/uGrVtKKKnR
— Zaid Ahmd (@realzaidzayn) January 15, 2025
Terrorists from Gaza will be returned to the Strip, murderers from Judea and Samaria will be deported abroad, and those from Judea and Samaria who have not been convicted of murder will be released to their homes. Starting on the 16th day of the deal’s implementation, negotiations will commence on a second phase, aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages, including young men, soldiers, and civilians.
“All the details have been thoroughly agreed upon, and we have no doubt about which hostages on the list will be released,” the senior official said during a briefing for reporters in Washington. He added that American citizen Idan Alexander is expected to return in the second phase of the deal.
While a final agreement on the deal has been reached, a few remaining details, including the list of prisoners to be released, have yet to be finalized. The Israeli cabinet will convene only after the negotiating team gives its final approval. If all proceeds as planned, the ceasefire will begin on Sunday at 12:15 PM, and the five hostages will return to Israel.
A source familiar with the details told Reuters that the plan includes an initial six-week phase during which IDF forces will gradually withdraw from central Gaza, allowing displaced Arabs to return to the northern part of the Strip.
Under the terms of the deal, 33 Israeli hostages will be released, including all the women, children, and men over the age of 50. Israel believes that most of them are alive. Between three and five hostages will be released on the first day of the deal, followed by four on the seventh day, and three more each subsequent week. Additionally, it was agreed that living hostages would be released before the deceased.
On the seventh day, following the release of seven hostages in two phases, the first Israeli withdrawal will take place, allowing residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes. On the 22nd day, the IDF is expected to withdraw from the Netzarim corridor, which separates the southern Gaza Strip from the northern region, and dismantle the military outposts established along the corridor.
This is what surrender looks like.
During the sixth week of the deal, Avraham Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, two Israeli citizens who wandered into the Gaza Strip and have been held captive there for more than a decade, are also expected to be released.
