72 critical hours: What will happen in the next three days in Gaza?

BarcelonaThe Israeli army announced this Friday at noon that the troops have withdrawn in the agreed area and that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza entered into force at 12 noon local time, or 11 a.m. in Catalonia. This means the first phase has begun and the countdown has begun for the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. The 72 hours following the agreement's entry into force will be crucial, but this is only a first step, and there are still many points that negotiators will have to resolve to guarantee a lasting peace. We review what this first agreement stipulates and what we should expect to happen until Monday morning.

Ceasefire and partial withdrawal of the army

The document ratified early Friday morning by Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which also includes the signatures of the mediators, establishes six points. The first refers to what happened 24 hours before the final approval. with Donald Trump's announcement from the White House"President Trump announces the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and that the parties have agreed to implement the necessary steps."

Following the Israeli government's approval, the war ends "immediately" and all military operations, "including aerial and artillery bombardments and targeting operations, will be suspended." "During the 72-hour period, aerial surveillance will be suspended over the areas from which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdraw," the document reads. Since the army announced the agreement's entry into force, no bombings have been reported, but, according to Al Jazeera, there have been attacks during the early morning hours, and Israeli military aircraft flew over the Strip early this morning.

The document stipulated that the IDF was to withdraw from the agreed area within 24 hours of the Israeli government signing the agreement. The withdrawal, according to the army, was completed at approximately 12 noon. In compliance with the agreement, Israeli forces cannot return to the locations from which they have withdrawn, "provided Hamas fully implements the agreement."

Return of hostages and release of Palestinians

According to the agreed terms, all Israeli hostages, both alive and deceased, must be returned within 72 hours of the agreement taking effect, i.e., no later than Monday at noon (local time). The agreement establishes the creation of an information-sharing mechanism between Hamas and Israel regarding the Israeli hostages and the Palestinian prisoners and detainees to be exchanged.

Of the 48 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, an estimated 20 are still alive. All must be released by Monday at noon. The bodies of the deceased must also be returned to Israel, although Hamas has warned that in some cases the deadline may not be met, as bodies must be recovered from unknown locations. The document states that within the next three days, all those held by Hamas or other Palestinian factions must be returned, and that the Islamist group must share all information it has on those it has not been able to return within that timeframe.

Once the hostages are freed, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving sentences in Israeli prisons and 1,700 people detained in Gaza during the war, and the bodies of 360 Palestinians will also be returned. According to the agreement, the exchanges will take place "without any public ceremony or media coverage."

Humanitarian aid

The agreement stipulates that the entry of humanitarian aid must begin "immediately" and with an amount at least equal to that agreed upon in the previous ceasefire signed last January, which Israel unilaterally broke. It is expected that approximately 600 trucks of aid will be able to enter daily and be distributed throughout the Strip. According to Reuters, citing an Israeli official, the vehicles will primarily carry food, medical equipment, shelter equipment, fuel, and cooking gas. Equipment needed to repair damaged infrastructure, such as water pipes, sewage systems, and bakeries, will also be allowed in.

Gaza residents will be allowed to leave the Strip through the Rafah crossing in coordination with Egypt if they have Israeli approval and under the supervision of a European Union mission. Gazans who are outside the enclave will also be able to enter the enclave through the same border crossing if they have Israeli permission.

Supervision

Finally, the document stipulates that a working group will be formed with representatives from the United States, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and other countries agreed upon by the parties "to monitor and coordinate implementation [of the agreement] with both parties."