A four-day truce between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas is set to begin on Friday, bringing a temporary pause to the fighting that has raged since October 7. The announcement of the ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, comes as a relief after weeks of intense bombardment and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. This article explores the details of the deal and provides insights into what can be expected during this period.
The truce, scheduled to take effect at 7 am local time on Friday, includes several key components. At 4 pm, a group of 13 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza will be released. The ceasefire involves a pause in the fighting, the exchange of Hamas captives for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, and a halt to air traffic over northern Gaza during certain hours of the day and over southern Gaza entirely.
Over the course of the four days, Hamas will release 50 women and children, who were among the approximately 240 people taken captive during their assault on southern Israel on October 7. In return, Israel will release a total of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons, who have been regarded by Palestinians as victims of an Israeli occupation with little regard for due process. Israel has provided a list of about 300 Palestinian prisoners who may be released, none of whom have been accused of murder, and many of whom were held without trial under arbitrary detention.
The first batch of 39 Palestinian prisoners is expected to be released at around 8 pm on Friday, but this will only occur if the hostages held in Gaza are on Israeli soil. Israel has also stated that for every 10 additional hostages released, the pause will be extended by one day. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will be involved in facilitating the release process.
While the truce brings relief to some, it also brings despair to others. The deal raises questions about the status of armed activity, with the Qatari negotiator confirming that “no attack whatsoever” will take place during the ceasefire. Hamas has stated that Israel agreed to suspend air traffic over northern Gaza from 10 am until 4 pm each day and over southern Gaza for the duration of the truce. They also claim that Israel agreed not to attack or arrest anyone in Gaza and that people can move freely along Salah al-Din Road, a main street used by Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza.
Hamas has announced that its armed wing and all other Palestinian factions will halt “all military activity” during the truce. Additionally, 200 aid trucks and four fuel trucks will be allowed into Gaza each day to provide relief to civilians facing a humanitarian crisis due to Israeli bombardment and restricted access to essential resources.
However, despite hopes from Qatar, humanitarian groups, and world leaders for a long-term ceasefire, both Israel and Hamas have expressed their intent to continue fighting. Hamas’s armed wing spokesperson, Abu Obeida, emphasized that Palestinian fighters remain ready to confront Israeli forces as long as the war persists and called for resistance in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also stated that the upcoming pause is only a “brief respite” and that intense fighting is expected to resume after the truce, with the aim of pressuring for the release of more hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that the deal represents a pause rather than an end to the war, affirming that they will continue until all their goals are achieved. With this in mind, it is unlikely that the truce will pave the way for a long-term resolution, and at least another two months of fighting are anticipated.
As the four-day truce commences, the focus will be on whether the agreement can bring temporary relief to the ongoing conflict and provide an opportunity for further negotiations towards a lasting peace.
