Gaza city: The first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel will last five days and includes a visit by US President Donald Trump to the region to oversee its implementation. The draft roadmap, revealed on Thursday, outlines the initial steps toward achieving a temporary peace between the two sides.
According to Anadolu Agency, the ceasefire agreement was announced early Thursday following four days of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, held in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh. These negotiations involved delegations from Trkiye, Egypt, and Qatar and were conducted under the supervision of the United States. An informed Egyptian source confirmed that the first phase of the deal will focus on the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as an initial Israeli withdrawal.
The roadmap, though not officially confirmed by the mediators-Egypt, Qatar, and the US-has been reported by Egyptian media outlets. It details the following provisions:
On Thursday, an official announcement of the ceasefire agreement was made, and the Israeli government is set to approve the agreement. Lists of prisoners slated for release and the withdrawal map for Israeli forces in the first phase will also be published. Currently, Tel Aviv estimates that there are 48 Israeli captives in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 11,100 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons under severe conditions, with many reported dead according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
On Friday, a period for formal objections to the deal will open before Israeli courts, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza will commence. The withdrawal from populated areas is expected to continue on Saturday. On this day, Palestinian factions will begin collecting living Israeli captives for transfer and arranging the handover of recoverable remains of deceased captives.
Sunday will see President Trump arriving in the region to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. There will be an official declaration of the end of the Israeli war in Gaza. Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported that Trump would make a brief visit to Israel, while the US president himself indicated he might visit both Egypt and Israel.
By Monday, an official prisoner exchange will be supervised by Trkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. Israel will release Palestinian prisoners and return dozens of bodies. Gaza's crossings will be fully reopened, allowing the entry of 400 aid trucks daily, with expectations of increasing to 600 or more in the following days. Talks for the second phase of the agreement will immediately begin, aiming to complete the Israeli troop withdrawal and secure a permanent end to the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the ceasefire deal would take effect after approval by his government. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi confirmed the agreement but did not specify the exact timing of its implementation. The ceasefire aims to end the war in Gaza after two years of suffering, aligned with the peace plan proposed by President Trump.
Since March 2, Israel has kept the Gaza crossings closed, blocking humanitarian aid and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Trump's peace plan, unveiled on September 29, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
The second phase of Trump's plan calls for establishing a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas' participation, forming a security force comprising Palestinians and troops from Arab and Islamic countries, and disarming Hamas. It also includes Arab and Islamic funding for the new administration and the reconstruction of the Strip, with limited participation from the Palestinian Authority. Arab officials have indicated that further discussions and negotiations are needed to fully implement the details of Trump's Gaza plan.