A Gaza ceasefire deal, which has been agreed by Hamas and Israel, is set to begin on January 19, 2025. The deal comes after months of efforts of mediatiation from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, which were unsuccessful in brokering a new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, following the initial truce in November 2023, which lasted for a week. But why is this happening now, and what does it mean for long-term peace? Here’s a quick explanation from Egyptian Streets. What we know about the deal The deal has three phases, each lasting about six weeks. In the first phase, Israel is expected to halt bombing and surveillance over Gaza for 10 to 12 hours. This phase will also involve an exchange: Israel will release Palestinian prisoners, focusing on women and children, in return for freeing Israeli hostages. For every Israeli civilian or soldier—whether alive or dead—held captive, Israel will release a set number of Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian aid will also be allowed into Gaza during this phase. There are 94 hostages in total, 34 of whom are thought to be dead. The second and third phases will…
