First Israeli hostages may be returned from Gaza on Jan. 19
As part of the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, some hostages may be released on Sunday, January 19. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on January 17.
"The release of the hostages may be realized according to <...> a plan according to which <...> is expected as early as Sunday," the office of the head of the Israeli government said in a statement quoted by The Times Of Israel.
The office recalled that the release is possible if the security cabinet and all state ministers approve the ceasefire agreement.
The publication added that the security cabinet meeting has already begun. The full ministers are scheduled to meet on the evening of January 18. If the government approves the deal with Hamas, the Israeli High Court of Justice must approve it. It is not expected to go against the cabinet's decision.
Earlier in the day, The Jerusalem Post reported that in the first stage, in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages - children, women (including military), men over 50 and "humanitarian hostages." In addition, representatives of the Palestinian movement and Israel signed the final version of the deal in the Qatari capital Doha.
The Gaza ceasefire agreement became known on January 15. The next day, the Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began preparations for the implementation of the agreement. In particular, the State Defense Ministry's Directorate of Checkpoints and the Design Department will be involved in the implementation of the deal in order to speed up logistics.
At the same time, the IDF launched a massive strike on Gaza that killed at least 30 Palestinians. Netanyahu's office later accused Hamas of attempting blackmail and backing out of part of the agreements. The movement, in turn, said that the Israeli army attacked the place where one of the hostages was held.
The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected Israeli territory to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.