*** This Agreement is a PRELUDE to an Israeli/US attack on Iran
The so called “cease fire” deal?? I can’t call it that, personally. Because ceasefire suggests a two party war. What went on in Gaza, was not a two party war- It was ethnic cleansing/genocide. Israel’s own leaders have made that very plain- Therefore it’s not out of line to disagree with the “cease fire” label. I just haven’t figured out the appropriate name for this latest deal.
My impressions based on the limited info;
- This is Trump’s vanity at play as he continues to campaign for a peace prize
–As most of Gaza is destroyed, and it’s residents are unhoused there is a big question about the outcome of this so called ceasefire. - It feels to me as if this is the planned for gentrification of Gaza, dressed up in humanitarian garb
Let’s see what Fortune has written
Uncertainty remains about aspects of the broader peace plan advanced by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump — such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appear closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory, and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.
Even with the agreement expected to be signed later in the day, Israeli strikes continued, with explosions seen Thursday in northern Gaza. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said that Israel was continuing to hit targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition.
In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, celebrations were relatively muted and often colored by grief.
“I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. … The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.”
In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced a deal late Wednesday.
“We are so excited this morning, we cried all morning,” she said. “It’s been two years that we are in horror.”
Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.
In a short video posted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.
“The hostages will come back,” said Trump, who is expected in the region in the coming days. “They are all coming back on Monday.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to convene his Security Cabinet late Thursday to approve the ceasefire, and the entire parliament will then meet to approve the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has opposed previous ceasefire deals, said he had “mixed emotions.”
How the deal will unfold
The deal being submitted to Israel’s parliament and then expected to be signed in Egypt will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.
So, Israeli troops will not be leaving Gaza
Israel will publish the list of the prisoners — and victims of their attacks have 24 hours to lodge objections.
Which means these prisoners will not be released due to objections raised ( a way to circumvent the deal)
The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations.
As Trump indicated, the hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.
Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, allowing 400 trucks in the initial days and increasing to 600 trucks after that, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.
The Trump peace plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.
The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.
The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.
I will relink some former, relevant posts later today!