The Associated Press news agency has leaked details of the potential ceasefire deal, which will reportedly be implemented in three stages. In stage one, Hamas will release 33 Israeli captives. That'll include female civilians, soldiers, children, and civilians above 50 years old. In return, Israel will free 50 Palestinian prisoners for each female soldier and 30 for each civilian hostage. As part of this phase, Israel will also halt fighting and pull its forces back to the edges of Gaza. Displaced Palestinians will return to their homes, and additional aid will flow into the Strip. The second phase will begin 42 days into the ceasefire with a declaration of “sustainable calm.” Hamas will then release all remaining male captives, while Israel will negotiate the release of more Palestinian prisoners and withdraw all its troops from Gaza. The final stage will focus on long-term arrangements, including the return of bodies of Israeli captives and Palestinian fighters, implementing Gaza’s reconstruction plan, and reopening border crossings. Martin Griffiths is the former UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and he talked about the issue of humanitarian aid that needs to be addressed in the ceasefire negotiations.
