FAQ: What To Know About Phase One of the Gaza Ceasefire

Q: Is the war in Gaza over?

The short answer is no. Israel and Hamas agreed to phase one of the Trump administration’s 20-point ceasefire proposal on October 9, which includes a multilateral cessation of hostilities in Gaza as well as the freeing of the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli cabinet approved the truce and, following an IDF redeployment, set in motion a 72-hour window during which Hamas is required to release all 48 remaining hostages, of whom 20 are alive.

The next phases in President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan still need to be negotiated, including questions about whether Hamas will disarm and if the terrorist organization will play a role in governing the territory in the future.

Q: Which Palestinian prisoners will be released?

For the return of its 48 remaining hostages kidnapped during the Hamas-led October 7 atrocities, Israel will release 250 convicted Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, mostly for terrorism-related charges, along with 1,700 Gazans detained by Israeli forces throughout the war. Among the terrorists set to be released are Jihad A-Karim Azziz Rom, who took part in the lynching of IDF soldiers Vadim Norzitch and Yosef Avrahami in Ramallah in 2000, and Bahej Badr, who manufactured explosive belts for the Palestinian suicide bombers who carried out attacks at the Tzrifin bus stop and Hillel Café in 2003.

Separately, Iyad Abu al-Rub, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander who oversaw several suicide bombings in Israel between 2003 and 2005, killing 13 people across the attacks, is slated for release. Muhammad Zakarneh, a Fatah terrorist who planned an attack in 2009 that killed an Israeli taxi driver, and Muhammad Abu al-Rub, a terrorist who stabbed and murdered Reuven Shmerling in 2017, will both be released as well. Senior Hamas member Mahmoud Qawasmeh, who was among the 1,027 Palestinian prisoners exchanged for Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit in 2011 before being rearrested, will walk free again.

Q: Is Israel withdrawing from Gaza?

The IDF is not withdrawing from Gaza. As of noon in Israel on October 10, the IDF completed its redeployment to the first agreed-upon withdrawal line, referred to in the Trump administration’s plan as the “Yellow Line.” However, the Israeli military will still control approximately 53 percent of Gaza during the 72 hours that Hamas has to release the remaining hostages, with further withdrawals stipulated upon Hamas upholding their end of the deal.

According to the 20-point plan as originally presented by the Trump administration, the IDF’s next withdrawal will only occur once an international stabilization force is established in Gaza following the hostages’ release. Even after this force is established, Israel will maintain a buffer zone on the borders of Gaza, not withdrawing from the enclave entirely. However, these further withdrawals, along with the establishment of the international stabilization force, have not been agreed upon in negotiations for phase one of the deal and will need to be deliberated in the future.

Q: How much of President Trump’s 20-point plan is being implemented?

The implementation of phase one of the ceasefire only encapsulates a few aspects of the Trump administration’s 20-point plan. Mainly, phase one covers points 4 and 5 of the proposal, which outline the requirements for a full hostage release within 72 hours, followed by the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Additionally, the United Nations is reportedly standing by to surge deliveries of aid into Gaza following the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, as outlined by points 7 and 8 of the Trump administration’s proposal.

Q: What’s next?

While Israelis will be overjoyed to see the remaining 20 living and 28 deceased hostages return home, there are many points to negotiate following the swap deal. For example, point 6 of the proposal asserts that “Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty.” Hamas issued an official statement on October 6 denying reports that the terrorist organization had agreed to surrender its weapons, warning against relying on “anonymous or unreliable sources.”

Point 9 states that, “Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee … made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body … chaired by President Donald J. Trump” and “Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.” Hamas has until now rejected this aspect of the plan, asserting instead that any future government in Gaza should be negotiated amongst the Palestinian people.

It’s also worth noting that military activity on Israel’s other active fronts, while subdued, has not concluded. The IDF stated on October 10 that it had seized a weapons cache belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization in the southern Lebanon town of Ayta ash-Shab. The Houthis in Yemen continue to present a threat to Israel as well, launching a drone at Israel on October 8 that was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force. The fighting may have paused in Gaza, but Israel is likely to see a continuation of its multi-front war in the Middle East, albeit at a lower intensity.

In summary, the ceasefire that is underway now is merely step one toward a lasting peace. With the hostages free, further negotiations must continue to implement in full the Trump administration’s plan, with sticking points likely to appear between Israel and Hamas along the way.

Aaron Goren is a research analyst and editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Aaron and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Aaron on X @RealAaronGoren. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.