If finalized, the deal will go into effect on Jan. 19, starting a six-week cease-fire, the first pause in fighting in 14 months.
Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, which have fought for more than 15 months in the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, now have a hostages-for-prisoners swap and temporary cease-fire agreement on the table.
If all goes well, it will take effect on Jan. 19, a day before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated and U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office. They each announced the deal on Jan. 15. Trump did so in a social media post and Biden in a public statement and then a White House speech.
Both men’s teams worked intensively in the days leading to the deal, which was forged in Doha, Qatar, one of three mediating nations along with the United States and Egypt.
But the deal is not yet final, and there appear to be last-minute snags. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Jan. 15 that he would meet with his security Cabinet on Jan. 16 to vote on the proposal. But his office said on the morning of Jan. 16 that the meeting had been postponed.
“Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Hamas on Jan. 15 accused Israel of making new demands that caused a delay.
For the deal to be finalized by Jan. 19, Israel’s security Cabinet will need to meet late on Jan. 16, early on Jan. 17 before the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown, or on the evening of Jan. 18 after the Sabbath ends.
Terms of the Deal
Netanyahu’s office has said it won’t discuss the terms until the deal is final. Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, said on Jan. 15 that the first of three planned phases would include the release of 33 hostages being held by Hamas for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
By Dan M. Berger
