Following the announcement that Israel and Hamas finalized a deal to end the war in Gaza and return the hostages home, numerous steps remain in implementing the phased agreement.
Thursday:
The signing of the agreement on the first stage of the plan will take place at noon, local time.
Additionally, Israel’s security cabinet and government are set to meet on Thursday to finalize approval of the first phase of the agreement.
The cabinet is scheduled to convene at 5:00 p.m., followed by a government meeting an hour later.
The approval will authorize the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails as part of what officials describe as “the first phase of the plan.”
Once the government approves, the ceasefire is expected to come into effect.
Other elements of the broader agreement will not be voted on Thursday, since the cabinet has already endorsed what officials call the “five principles” of US President Donald Trump’s peace framework, which outlines steps for ending the Gaza war.
Once the government vote passes, Israel will be required to withdraw its forces within 24 hours to a designated line agreed upon with Hamas.
The redeployment is expected to leave the Israel Defense Forces in control of roughly 53 percent of the Gaza Strip.
Following cabinet approval, a 72-hour countdown will begin.
By the end of that window, Hamas must release all hostages “in one fell swoop and without public ceremonies,” according to the terms of the agreement.
Israeli officials estimate that 20 hostages in Gaza are alive, while another 28 are believed dead. Hamas has reportedly claimed uncertainty about the whereabouts of nine of the deceased.
Friday:
The IDF will withdraw to the designated line, the “yellow line,” with certain adjustments, with Israel ultimately controlling 53% of the Gaza Strip.
By Monday:
The hostages’ release could take place as early as Saturday, coinciding with Trump’s planned visit to Israel.
However, Trump suggested a different timeline, telling reporters, “everyone will return on Monday.”
Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday and may deliver an address to the Knesset in Jerusalem following an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The agreement also calls for the release of large numbers of Palestinian detainees.
Under the current terms, around 1,700 Gaza residents arrested after October 7 will be freed, along with roughly 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, in exchange for the 20 surviving hostages. The releases are to occur within 72 hours of the agreement taking effect.
Israeli officials have indicated that the deal does not include members of Hamas’s Nukhba Force who took part in the October 7, 2023, massacre, nor the most prominent commanders described as “symbols of terrorist organizations,” such as Marwan Barghouti.
The final list of those to be released has not yet been made public.
Idan Kweller and Amichai Stein contributed to this report.