Israel approved a framework for the release of all hostages held in Gaza early Friday local time, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, hours before a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect at noon.
The ceasefire represents a significant step toward ending Israel’s two-year military operation in Gaza, which has caused widespread destruction across the territory, regional instability, and dozens of hostages. Estimates of Palestinian casualties vary widely, with numbers ranging from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand, reflecting the difficulty of accurate reporting under the ongoing conditions in Gaza. Under the approved framework, 48 hostages still held in Gaza—about 20 of whom Israel believes are alive—would be released in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The deal would guarantee the release of all living hostages starting Monday, followed by the return of the deceased bodies. Five border crossings are expected to reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, allowing humanitarian aid to flow into the territory. Parts of Gaza are experiencing famine conditions that human rights experts have described as “starvation of civilians as a weapon of war against Palestinians” by Israeli authorities.
The deal has drawn criticism from many, including Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani, who argued that while it may save lives, it falls short of a genuine peace accord. Mouin Rabbani said the deal is “hardly a peace agreement nor one that lays the basis for attaining Palestinian rights.” He suggested Hamas successfully manipulated President Trump by offering what he most wanted—a captive exchange—exploiting his desire for a Nobel Peace Prize and providing a distraction from the US government shutdown.
Under the Trump plan, Gaza would initially be governed by a temporary transitional committee of Palestinian technocrats. A “Board of Peace,” headed by Trump and including input from former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, would oversee the committee. Governance would later be transferred to the reformed Palestinian Authority. Mouin Rabbani argued that this proposal—which he called the “Blair Witch Project”—appears to be “dead in the water,” noting that Hamas is unlikely to accept it and that even the Palestinian Authority has opposed the agreement.
A major disappointment for Palestinians is the apparent exclusion of prominent political leader Marwan Barghouti from the initial prisoner exchange. Israel’s list of prisoners published Friday did not include Barghouti, widely regarded as a potentially unifying figure. An Israeli official said Thursday that the deal “would not include the release of Nukhba [Hamas armed wing] terrorists who took part in the massacre on October 7.”
Israeli peace negotiator Gershon Baskin, who has conducted back-channel negotiations between Hamas and Israel, told JURIST in a November 2024 interview that Marwan Barghouti “is seen as a symbol of the Palestinian struggle by the Palestinian people” and that he “beats every potential Palestinian leader in any elections that might be held.” Baskin, who maintained correspondence with Marwan Barghouti until the October 7th attacks, said he remains committed to a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps.
Netanyahu said in a televised address Friday that future stages of the plan would require Hamas to disarm and Gaza to be demilitarized. “If this is achieved the easy way—so be it. If not—it will be achieved the hard way,” he stated. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed early Friday morning that Israeli Defense Forces had withdrawn from the “yellow line,” allowing Israel to retain control of 53 percent of Gaza until phase two of the agreement begins.
Since the October 7th attacks, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive against Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
