WASHINGTON: Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday (Oct 9) to the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could be a first step towards ending a bloody two-year-old war that has roiled the Middle East.
Here are some details of what is known and not known so far:
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DEAL?
The agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework resulted from indirect talks in Egypt, just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel that triggered Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza.
Trump announced that both Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of the plan, and this would bring the release of all hostages, alive and dead, “very soon”, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to the so-called yellow line in Gaza.
According to a senior Israeli security source, that is a boundary for an initial Israeli pullback under the Trump plan.
Hamas confirmed it had reached an agreement to end the war, which includes an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a hostage-prisoner exchange, but the group called on Trump and guarantor states to ensure Israel fully implements the ceasefire.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN UNKNOWNS?
Despite the hopes raised for ending the war, crucial details are yet to be spelled out.
These include the timing, a post-war administration for the Gaza Strip and the fate of Hamas.
There is no clear indication who will rule Gaza when the war ends. Netanyahu, Trump, Western and Arab states have ruled out a role for Hamas, which has run Gaza since driving out Palestinian rivals in 2007.
Trump’s original 20-point plan envisions a role for the Palestinian Authority but only after it has undergone major reforms.
