There are agreements and agreements. And even when everyone aims for a win-win, the goal is difficult to achieve. And if Israel is still rubbing its hands on the issue of Hezbollah and Lebanon, it cannot do the same with Hamas. Micah Kubi, a former official of the Israeli General Security Service Shin Bet, said about the truce agreement between Israel and Hamas: “The agreement reached does not represent the ideal solution for Israel, but is rather considered one of the worst agreements ever concluded in its history”.
According to Palestinian media, this agreement is the result of a series of Israeli failures that have made it difficult for Israel to address this sensitive issue. “Israel clearly failed to protect its kidnapped soldiers and settlers, which ultimately forced it to pay a high price for their release”. Kubi commented. And so while the world applauds the end of a bloody conflict, Israel is trying to negotiate something with Hamas until the end.
This security failure represents a major challenge for the Israeli leadership, which has found itself unable to recover the prisoners without making major concessions. One of the most problematic points of this agreement is the ambiguity surrounding the fate of the prisoners. “So far we do not know precisely which of them is alive and which will be recovered as a corpse. Hamas skillfully exploits this ambiguity, which increases the tension and anxiety of the Israeli public,” Kubi said. What happened “is a huge success in the eyes of Hamas, which considers itself victorious because it was able to recruit more people under the violent attack and acceded to the demands of “Israel” and did not give up.”
The Prime Minister in the aftermath of October 7, 2023 made very harsh statements against Hamas and promises to his citizens that he was unable to fulfill: to release the prisoners and to wipe out Hamas.
Among the details of the agreement is an initial phase of six weeks that will include a gradual withdrawal of IDF forces from the central Gaza Strip and the return of displaced Palestinians in the north. And also as part of the agreement, 600 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid are being sent every day, 50 of which will include fuel and 300 will reach the northern Gaza Strip.
Hamas will release 33 Israelis, including all women, children and men over 50. Hamas will first release hostages under 19, then men over 50. Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners for every person kidnapped and 50 for every female soldier. Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under the age of 19 held since October 7.
The number of Palestinians released will depend on the number of kidnapped people released, and could range from 990 to 1,650 people, including men, children and women. Living kidnapped people will be released before the dead. The third part of the agreement is expected to include the return of all bodies under the control of Qatar and the United Nations.
It is not clear when this phase should take place. The Lebanese issue is not completely closed either. There are constant clashes between HTS and Lebanese tribes on the Syrian-Lebanon border. HTS is trying to hinder the flow of weapons. President Joseph Aoun confirmed Lebanon’s insistence on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the south and the deployment of the Lebanese army on the border when he took office. But for now, the Israeli military is continuing to destroy those cities that they failed to hit during the conflict of recent months. While the settlers do not want to return to the settlements in Northern Israel.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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