Gaza city: The Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced that the timing of the Gaza ceasefire agreement implementation with Israel will be determined by mediators. 'Hamas has reached a ceasefire agreement formula, and the mediators will decide when it takes effect,' stated Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem on the group's official website.
According to Anadolu Agency, the ceasefire agreement was disclosed early Thursday after four days of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel. These discussions took place in Egypt's Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, with mediation efforts from Trkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. However, there has been no immediate comment from the mediators regarding Qassem's statements.
Qassem accused Israel of attempting to manipulate the timelines, lists, and procedures of the agreement to benefit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He emphasized that Hamas is in contact with the mediators to ensure Israel adheres to the agreement and does not delay its implementation.
Qassem mentioned that there was a possibility of the ceasefire taking effect at 12:00 noon on the same day, though the announcement was delayed for unspecified internal reasons. He told Anadolu that the mediators played a crucial role in reaching the ceasefire deal, stressing the involvement of the US administration under President Donald Trump.
Qassem criticized Israel's latest strikes in Gaza, labeling them a violation of the agreement. He shared that Hamas has discussed these issues with the mediators, who have promised to ensure Israel complies with all terms, including halting military operations and initiating a withdrawal to facilitate a prisoner swap.
The successful implementation of the deal, according to Qassem, requires establishing appropriate conditions for the exchange process, which is based on a comprehensive ceasefire and agreed-upon withdrawal lines. However, details of the withdrawal lines were not provided.
Israel's Security Cabinet convened early Thursday to vote on the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The initial phase of the agreement includes an Israeli withdrawal to an agreed line and a prisoner exchange. On Sept. 29, President Trump unveiled a 20-point plan for Gaza, which includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip.
The second phase of the plan entails establishing a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas, forming a security force comprising Palestinians and troops from Arab and Islamic countries, and disarming Hamas. The plan also calls for Arab and Islamic funding for the new administration and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, with limited participation from the Palestinian Authority.
Arab and Muslim countries have shown support for the plan, although some officials have noted that numerous details require further discussion and negotiation for full implementation.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of whom were women and children, rendering the area uninhabitable.