Will the Israel-Hamas agreement succeed?
By Ahmad Saidi, Afghanistan and regional affairs analyst (Switzerland), especially for Sangar
After 15 months of bloody conflict in the Gaza Strip, killing some 45,000, wounding 88,000 Palestinians, and displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Muslims, a ceasefire has finally been agreed between Israel and Hamas. The agreement was reached in Doha with the mediation of countries such as Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
Both sides have committed to a temporary cessation of hostilities. Israeli forces will withdraw from residential areas to the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for which Israel will release some 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Palestinian refugees will also be allowed to return to their places of residence. This return will take place in stages, with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the occupied territories.
Humanitarian aid will reportedly be provided and conditions will be created to enter the humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip to respond to the existing humanitarian crisis.
Consequences and challenges of the agreement:
Internal opposition in Israel: Some extreme right-wing members of the Israeli government oppose the agreement and call for continued military operations until Hamas is eliminated. Two extremist ministers have reportedly resigned in protest against the agreement.
Israel continues to insist on maintaining control over the situation in the Gaza Strip and opposes the participation of Hamas or even the Palestinian Authority in governing Gaza.
Negotiations are ongoing, the current agreement is considered a first step, and further talks are needed to achieve a lasting ceasefire and resolve the remaining issues.
Conclusion:
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas could be a positive step towards reducing tensions and improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. However, the existing problems and disagreements show that achieving lasting peace requires further negotiations and more comprehensive agreements.
"SANGAR": SOME DETAILS OF THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT
1 - Complete withdrawal of Israeli regime troops from the Gaza Strip;
2 - Opening of the Rafah border crossing and complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from there;
3 - Travel of victims abroad for medical treatment;
4 - Daily arrival of 600 containers of humanitarian aid under the supervision of the Qatari government;
5 - Import 200,000 tents and 60,000 conex for immediate resettlement of displaced persons;
6 - Prisoner exchange, the release of 1,000 prisoners from Gaza and hundreds of other prisoners serving life sentences;
7 - Release of all female prisoners and children under 19;
8 - Gradual withdrawal of troops from the Netzarim and Philadelphia zones;
9 - Complete return and freedom of movement of refugees to any area they wish, including the Gaza Strip;
10 - Regime planes and drones will not fly for 10-12 hours during the day;
11 - Immediate restoration of damaged hospitals, the establishment of field hospitals, and the arrival of specialist doctors.
This agreement will be concluded in exchange for the release of 33 Israeli prisoners (alive and dead), and in the second and third stages decisions will be made regarding the remaining 66 prisoners.
For 467 days, the Israeli army failed to achieve its goals in the Gaza Strip, but Hamas' Operation Al-Aqsa Storm achieved many of its objectives.