3 Israeli women to be released on first day of ceasefire, document shared by Hamas says

Three female Israeli civilian hostages are expected to be released on the first day of the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas, according to a document shared by senior Hamas official Bassem Naim.

The ceasefire and hostage deal is expected to come into effect on January 19 and include three phases, each of which will last 42 days, according to the document.

The first phase is expected to see the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza.

According to the document, three female Israeli hostages will be released by Hamas on the first day and then on the seventh day, Hamas is set to release four more. Following that “Hamas will release three Israeli detainees every seven days, starting with women (civilians and soldiers),” the document states.

The third phase of the agreement is expected to see the “exchange of all bodies/remains of the dead,” the document says.

The third phase will also see the start of a three- to five-year reconstruction plan for Gaza, according to the document.

US defense secretary says deal “must be implemented rigorously”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday’s deal was reached “after months of determined diplomacy,” while cautioning that it “must be implemented rigorously.”

But he said in a statement Wednesday night that the deal “can open a new window of hope for Israelis and Palestinians after the months of bloodshed and anguish that followed Hamas’s despicable terrorist assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.”

The secretary also recognized that for all those killed in the war, and their families, this deal “has come too late.”

Looking to the future, Austin said: “After these months of terror and trauma, we recommit ourselves today to move toward a more hopeful, secure, and just future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Read More: Click Here