Hamas reveals terms of truce agreement in Gaza 

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has revealed the terms of the Gaza Strip truce agreement reached with the Israeli occupation authorities after mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US. The movement issued a statement at dawn today.

The negotiations on the truce, it explained, were complex and difficult. Agreement came after “determined and capable Qatari-Egyptian mediation efforts,” which were “formulated in accordance with the vision of the resistance and its determinants that aim to serve our people and strengthen their steadfastness in the face of aggression.”

Hamas stressed that “the resistance managed the negotiations from a position of stability and strength on the field, despite the occupation’s attempts to prolong and procrastinate them.”

According to the Palestinian movement, the terms of the truce are as follows:

1. A ceasefire by both parties and a cessation of all military actions by the occupation army in all areas of the Gaza Strip for a period of four days.
2. During the truce period, the occupation is committed not to attack or arrest anyone in any areas of the Gaza Strip.
3. Ensuring the free movement of people from north to south along Salah El-Din Street.
4. Stopping air traffic in the south throughout the entire period of the truce and in the north for six hours a day.
5. The release of 50 women and children captives in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and children imprisoned in Israeli prisons.
6. The entry of hundreds of trucks with humanitarian, relief, medical and fuel aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip.
7. Stopping the advance of Israeli occupation military vehicles into the Gaza Strip.

“While we announce reaching a truce agreement,” concluded Hamas, “we affirm that we will keep our finger on the trigger and our brigades will remain on the lookout to defend our people.”

The occupation government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, announced a few hours ago the approval of the truce agreement that includes a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, after two meetings with the war council and the expanded government. All government ministers supported the deal, except for three far-right extremists belonging to the Religious Zionist Party.

Israel’s Israel Hayom had said previously that the ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinians would begin on Thursday morning and explained that Palestinian prisoners would be released at noon on the same day. It also confirmed that Israeli hostages will be released on Thursday evening, 23 November, and that the Israeli government would approve the prisoner exchange deal on Tuesday night. The newspaper noted that the Israeli Supreme Court will hold a hearing on this matter today.

READ: Prisoner exchange is a difficult decision but the right one, says Netanyahu