Lebanese report details hostage, truce deal, with 33 captives to be released in first stage

Lebanese news outlet al-Akhbar publishes what it says is the text of Israel’s truce and hostage deal offer to Hamas, as conveyed by Egyptian mediators, which would see at least 33 captives released in a first phase, and later stages that would establish a sustainable calm.

The first stage of the deal, to last 40 days, involves a staged withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of the Strip in order to allow the movement of humanitarian aid and the return of civilians to their homes.

The deal provides for 500 trucks, including 50 fuel trucks, to enter the Strip each day, including supplies designed to rehabilitate the Strip.

Israel will cease aerial surveillance of the Strip for eight hours a day, and 10 hours on days hostages are released.

Hamas must release at least 33 living captives — female civilians and soldiers, children under the age of 19, the elderly, the sick, and the wounded.

For every female civilian and child released, Israel will free 20 minors and female Palestinian prisoners. For every elderly, sick and injured hostage released, Israel will free 20 prisoners over 50 who are also sick and injured, as long as they are not serving a sentence of over 10 years.

For every female soldier released, Israel will free 20 prisoners serving a life sentence, and another 20 serving 10 years at most, who may be released to Gaza or abroad.

Hamas will provide a list of prisoners it wants released, containing up to 20 names; Israel will retain a veto on the names provided by Hamas.

From the 16th day of the truce, the sides will begin indirect negotiations on an arrangement to restore sustainable calm to Gaza, the report says.

The second stage of the deal, to last 42 days, will involve completing agreed-upon arrangements for sustainable calm. And it will see the release of remaining Israeli male civilians and soldiers, in exchange for a certain number of Palestinian prisoners and the full withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza.

The third stage, which will last 42 days, will involve the exchange of dead bodies from both sides and the implementation of a five-year rehabilitation plan for Gaza, including a provision that Hamas must not rebuild its military infrastructure.