Israel Approves Final Ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza Strip, 737 Hostages to be Released

The Israeli cabinet has given final approval to a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant faction Hamas.

On the 18th (local time), the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the entire cabinet approved the agreement after more than six hours of negotiations, according to Reuters and CNN. Following the previous day's security cabinet meeting, the full cabinet meeting also ratified the ceasefire agreement.

As a result, Israel and Hamas will halt hostilities for six weeks starting on the 19th and will exchange prisoners and hostages in phases. A joint operations room for implementing the ceasefire will be established in Cairo, Egypt.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice announced that 737 prisoners will be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire. They are scheduled to be released after 4 PM local time on the 19th.

Previously, the Israeli Ministry of Justice released a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The list includes 69 women, 16 men, and 10 minors, and it is known to include Zacharia Zubeidi, a former commander of the military organization under the ruling Fatah party of the Palestinian Authority. Zubeidi escaped from Israel's Gilboa Prison in 2021 with five other Palestinians and was recaptured in a northern village.

Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages, including all women (including soldiers), children, and men over 50, in phases. AFP reported that the first hostages to be released by Hamas will be three Israeli female soldiers under the age of 30.

There is speculation that these women may effectively be civilians. In Israel, women are required to serve in the military, and Hamas has referred to all Israelis who have completed mandatory service as soldiers.

Of the 251 hostages held by Hamas, 94 survivors remain in the Gaza Strip.

With Israel's official approval of the agreement, the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip, which had been restricted under Israeli control, will resume. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced that it is preparing to deliver aid equivalent to 4,000 truckloads to the Gaza Strip.

U.S. officials view this ceasefire agreement as a result of unusual cooperation between Biden's envoy Brett McGurk and Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump claimed on the 16th, "The agreement would never have been reached without our involvement."

With Trump, who has pledged to end foreign wars, including the Gaza Strip conflict, immediately upon taking office, there is speculation that he may strongly pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to implement the next phase of the ceasefire, raising attention on whether the ceasefire will continue beyond the second phase.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has so far ignored U.S. President Joe Biden's pressure for a ceasefire, believing in the potential alliance with Trump, is now in a position where he can no longer do so, according to general observations.

However, hostilities continue even after the ceasefire agreement. Gaza Strip medical staff announced that five people were killed in a tent in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis due to an Israeli airstrike on the morning of the 18th. As a result, the number of Palestinians killed after the ceasefire agreement has increased to 119.

Kim So-yeon, Hankyung.com reporter sue123@hankyung.com