Israeli female soldiers to be first released from Gaza in landmark hostage swap deal

Five Israeli female soldiers will be released from Gaza in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners on January 19, coinciding with the first day of a planned ceasefire, a senior US official confirmed.

The deal reached on January 15 brokered with the involvement of Qatar and Egypt, marks a significant step in the ongoing Middle East negotiations, Caliber.Az informs, citing Israeli media reports.

In a briefing to reporters, the official detailed the efforts that led to the deal, including the role of mediators meeting in Cairo on January 16 to focus on the implementation of the agreement. "Not everything will go smoothly, but we have such a detailed framework to leave very little to chance and make sure expectations are clear on both sides," the official stated.

The deal comes after over a year of intense diplomatic efforts, with Qatar playing a crucial role and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s team deeply involved. "The extraordinary diplomacy and coordination between the US and Qatar, with leaders like Steve Witkoff and Brett McGurk, were key to reaching this agreement," the official said.

The ceasefire, which is set to begin on January 19, will initially last for 42 days, during which time further details for the next phase will be outlined. The agreement will see the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over the age of 50. Estimates suggest that most of these hostages are alive.

The diplomatic breakthrough follows the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the isolation of Hamas, forcing the militant group back to the negotiating table. According to the senior US official, Hamas is now significantly weaker, no longer able to organize military formations as it did during the October 7 attacks on Israel.

The detailed framework includes clear guidelines for both sides on what must occur during the ceasefire. "Hamas no longer has the free-standing brigades or military organization it once had," the official concluded. "Its ability to engage in large-scale military operations has been permanently hindered."

Mediators will continue to work on the final stages of the deal in Cairo as January 19 approaches, hoping for a smooth implementation of the ceasefire and the release of the hostages.

Notably, the latest developments come amid continuing violence in Gaza. On January 13, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed over 50 people, according to Gaza's civil defence agency, which reported that schools, homes, and gatherings of people were targeted. The Israeli military said it was investigating the reports, and separately confirmed the death of five Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip on the same day.

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas was triggered by Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 individuals to Gaza as hostages. In response, Israel launched a military offensive to eliminate Hamas. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 46,500 people have been killed during the war. Israel reports that 94 of its citizens remain in Gaza, including 34 presumed dead, alongside four other Israelis abducted before the war, two of whom are also presumed dead.

By Khagan Isayev