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.

“During the sixth week, Hamas will release all remaining detainees included in this stage, and in return, Israel will release the agreed upon number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, based on lists provided by Hamas,” the document continues.

The second phase of the agreement is expected to see a “permanent cessation of military and hostile operations” and the release of “all remaining Israeli male detainees who are alive (civilians and soldiers) in exchange for a number of prisoners in Israeli prisons and detainees in Israeli detention centers, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.”

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.